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UNIVERSAL    EXPOSITION,    PARIS,    1867. 


REPORT 


DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE 


SILK  AND  SILK  MANUFACTURES. 


ELLIOT    C.    CO  WD  IN, 

UNITED  STATES  COMMISSIONER. 


WASTII  XUTON,   D.    C 

1868. 


WRE  BOOKCASE 


MESSAGE 

FROM 

THE  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES, 


IN   ANSWER  TO 


A  resolution  of  the  IIouss  of  \Sth  ultimo,  transmitting  report  of 
Elliot  C.  Coirdin,  Esq.,  commissioner  to  the  Paris  Exposition  of  18G7, 
on  silk  and  silk  manufactures. 


March  Qfi,  1868. — Read,  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs,  and  ordered 
to  be  printed. 


To  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States  : 

In  answer  to  a  resolution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
18th  ultimo,  relatinp:  to  the  report  of  Mr.  Cowdin,  I  transmit  a  report 
of  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  the  document  to  which  it  refers. 

ANDREW  JOHNSON. 
Washington,  March  25,  1868. 


Department  op  State, 

Washington,  March  25,  1868. 
The  Secretary  of  State,  to  whom  was  referred  the  resolution  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  the  18th  ultimo,  requesting  the  trans 
mission  to  that  house  of  the  report  of  Elliot  C.  Cowdin,  Esq.,  commis- 
sioner to  the  Paris  Exposition  of  1867,  on  silk  and  silk  manufactures, 
has  the  honor  to  lay  before  the  President  the  report  thus  called  for. 
Resjjectfully  submitted : 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD. 
The  President. 


REPORT. 


Sir:— 

The  undersigned,  Commissioner  of  the  United 
States,  and  Menil)er  of  the  "  Committee  on  ra\v 
materials  and  manufactures  of  great  use,  or 
displaying  remarkalde  skill  or  merit,"  to  whom 
has  l)een  specially  assigned  the  suhject  of  .^llk 
and  xllh  manufactiire.%  respectfully  submits  the 


following 


REPORT. 


Silk,  l)y  its  characteristic  qualities  and  un- 
changeableness,  as  well  as  by  the  richness  and 
beauty  of  its  appearance,  is,  in  relation  to  textile 
substances,  what  gold  is  to  metals. 

It  is,  of  all  filamentary  substances,  that  which 
gives  the  finest,  most  (bira1»le,  and  most  elastic 
threads.  Its  tenacity  is  al)out  eciual  to  that  of 
good  iron;  that  is  to  say,  a  thi-ead  of  silk  of  the 
same  size  will  support  nearly  the  same  weight 
l)efore   l)reaking,   and   the   textile  matter  affords 


an    elasticity    superior   to    that   of  tlie    iiiiueral 
suhstance. 

Silk  consequently  unites  the  most  l»rilliaut 
properties  with  the  most  solid  qualities. 

Its  various  excellent  and  advantageous  charac- 
teristics have  made  it  an  object  of  research  in  all 
ages,  l^y  the  different  nations  of  the  world. 

China,  even  in  our  o^^^l  day,  the  most  important 
country  for  the  production  of  silk,  appears  to 
have  l)een  its  cradle,  at  the  most  remote  epoch. 
The  Chinese  annals  attri1)ute  to  the  Emperor 
Fau-Hi  the  merit  of  having  employed  silk  in  the 
manufacture  of  a  musical  instiniment,  of  his  own 
invention,  3400  years  before  the  Christian  era. 

The  Empress  SUiiig-Chi  was  the  first  to  invent 
silk  tissues  2650  years  before  our  era,  which 
invention  contributed  so  immensely  to  the  pros- 
perity of  her  country,  that  she  was  placed  among 
the  Chinese  divinities,  under  the  name  of  Sien- 
Thsan;^  and  even  now  the  Chinese  Empresses 
offer  annually  solemn  sacrifices  to  her  memory. 

As  it  is  the  ha1)it  of  the  Emperor  of  China, 
once  a  year,  to  plough  the  earth,  in  order  to  add 
dignity  and  honor  to  agricultural  pursuits,  so,  in 


This  name  means  th(  fi rift  promoter  of  sUk  industry. 


5 

like  manner,  tlie  Empress,  hy  annually  visiting 
the  silk-worm  nurseries  and  laboring  with  her 
own  hands,  encourages  the  production  of  this 
valual>le  commodity. 

Two  centuries  ])efore  the  Christian  era,  the 
Chinese  carried  on  a  commerce  of  silk  with  Persia, 
Greece,  and  Italy.  Their  caravans,  or  troops  of 
dealers,  were  protected  by  military  settlements  or 
colonies. 

The  generic  name  given  to  this  precious  material 
has  remained  unchanged,  except  with  a  slight 
modification  of  the  word.  In  fact,  the  French 
word  soie  or  silk  bears  among  them  the  name  sec. 
The  Mongols  name  it  sirhe.  The  Mantchoos, 
sirche.  The  Russians  designate  it  l)y  the  word 
chek^  and  the  Greeks  by  sez,  etc. 

Notwithstanding  the  antiquity  of  the  use  of 
silk,  its  nature  was  for  a  long  time  unknown,  and 
its  importation  into  the  West  was  of  recent  date 
compared  to  its  high  antiquity  in  Asia. 

The  history  of  the  introduction  of  the  first  eggs 
of  the  silk-worm  into  Constantinople  during  the 
reign  of  the  Emperor  Justinian,  is  well  known. 

The  Chinese,  determined  to  retain  the  monopoly 
of  the  silk  industry,  forbade  the  exportation  of 
the  eggs  under  penalty  of  death. 


6 

They  were,  nevertheless,  ol)tained,  A.  I).  552, 
by  two  Persian  monks,  who  had  lived  a  long  time 
in  China,  as  missionaries,  and  were  acquainted 
with  the  rearing  of  silk-worms ;  stimulated  1  »y  the 
gifts  and  promises  of  the  Emperor  Justinian,  they 
succeeded  in  conveying  a  large  numl  )er  of  eggs 
concealed  in  hollow  canes,  to  Constantinoj^le, 
where  they  watched  their  hatching  and  the 
development  of  the  V)uttei*flies. 

The  breeding  of  silk-worms  spread,  however, 
very  slowly  in  Europe.  The  Moors  imported  them 
into  Cordova  altout  the  year  910.  Greece  and 
Italy  undertook  it  in  the  12th  centuiy.  From 
thence,  this  l>ranch  of  industry  passed  to  Mar- 
seilles. At  the  commencement  of  the  14th  century. 
Pope  Clement  V.  introduced  it  into  A^dgnon.  Un- 
der Henry  IV.,  Sully  estal:)lished  a  silk-worm  nur- 
sery in  the  Oarden  of  the  Tuileries.  Louis  XIV. 
continued  to  encourage  this  enterprise  in  France, 
though  with  1  tut  slight  success,  so  far  as  relates 
to  the  production  of  cocoons  and  the  sj)inning 
of  silk. 

The  weaving  of  silk  goods  with  foreign  thread 
had,  on  the  contrary,  already  made  marked 
progress  in  France,  and  had  a  great  development, 
which  it  preserved  even  up  to  the  revocation  of 


tlie  Edict  of  Nantes,  after  which  period  the 
weaving,  as  well  as  the  spinning  of  silk,  lost 
ground  considerably. 

The  emigrants  carried  this  beautiful  industry 
into  England,  Germany,  and  Switzerland,  and 
raised  the  most  active  competition  against  France, 
whose  manufactures  of  silk  remained  in  a  lan- 
guishing condition  up  to  the  close  of  the  great 
revolution  at  the  end  of  the  last  century,  and 
until  shortly  before  the  return  of  peace  to  Europe. 


RISE    AND    PROGRESS    OF    SILK    INDUSTRY    IN   THE 
UNITED    STATES. 

America  was  not  insensible  to  the  efforts  made 
by  other  nations  to  appropriate  to  themselves 
the  production  of  silk. 

During  the  early  periods  of  the  colonization  of 
Virginia,  James  L,  on  several  occasions,  advised 
with  and  encouraged  the  London  company,  in 
regard  to  the  cultivation  of  the  mull^erry-tree, 
and  addressed  a  letter  to  the  company,  in  which 
he  enjoined  its  members  and  exhorted  the  planters 
to  ai)ply  themselves  with  diligence  to  the  breeding 
of  silk-Avorms,  to  establish  silk-worm-nurseries  and 
sj)inning-grounds,    and    to    devote   their   activity 


8 

ratlier  Ti"'  tlie  ]tri:idiK-Ti< m  i"»t'  tlii^  rioli  eomiuodity 
than  to  that  ut*  tol'accii.  To  wliicli  he  inauifested 
a  protbiiml  aveisiou.  Upon  this  advice,  they 
phmted  a  larL'f  nnmlier  of  inull'eny -trees.  l>iit 
oollfctt-d  littlf  silk  iu  conseqiifiiee  of  the  dith- 
cultifS  resiiltiii2"  ti'oin  the  spt-edy  dissolution  of 
the'Londiai  c-nnpany. 

HowfVt-r.  thf  enltiuv  'A'  the  rniiU'eiTy  was 
resumed  in  Viru'inia  al'out  the  year   li:'51. 

The  tree  was  imli^'enoiis  in  the  colony,  and  tlu- 
enterprise  was  so  far  advanced  in  lHt5iJ  that  the 
ci'ifonation  r<:ilie  of  Charle>  II.  was  the  product 
of  the  >ilk- worms  of  Virginia.  Btit  the  steady 
advance  ot'  tc>l'acco-ctiltiire  caii-«ed  the  litisiness  to 
so  decline,  that  it  -eems  to  have  almost  disappeared 
liv  the  cL;ise  ijf  the  century. 

Durino"  the  eiu-hteenth  century,  efforts  were 
made  to  introduce  silk  husliandry  into  all  the 
American  colonies.  It  had  lieen  started  as  early 
a-  171^  with  sc-me  success  in  Louisiana,  then 
under  the  dnmiiiinn  of  Spain.  The  most  strenuous 
exeiti«:>ns  were  ilirected  to  Georgia..  Private 
Ldfts  co-operated  with  acts  of  Parliament,  and  its 
settlers  were  stimulaterl  l:)y  grants  of  land  to  cul- 
tivate the  muH'Crry  and  raise  silk-wijrms. 

In  1732,  artisans  skilled  in  this  industry  were 


sent  over  from  Europe.  The  French  emigrant, 
Avho  had  chai'ge  of  the  business,  proved  treacherous 
and  destroyed  the  machinery,  eggs,  and  trees,  and 
fled  from  Georgia.  The  Italian  w^ho  succeeded 
him  was  more  trustworthy,  and  some  raw  silk  was 
soon  exported  to  Europe.  In  1735,  a  beautiful 
rol)e  was  made  in  England,  of  Georgia  silk,  which 
Queen  Caroline  wore  on  a  great  state  occasion. 

In  1749,  the  export  of  cocoons  reached  1,000 
lbs.,  and  their  product  commanded  the  highest 
prices.  A  large  silk  establishment  was  soon 
erected  in  Savannah.  The  cocoons  annually 
delivered  to  it  in  the  years  from  1758  to  1766 
inclusive,  ranged  from  10,000  to  15,000  lbs.,  and 
in  the  latter  year  they  reached  20,000  lbs. 

During  the  same  period  the  annual  export  of 
raw  silk  ranged  from  500  lbs.  to  1000  lbs.  At 
this  period  the  silk  culture  was  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  and  profitable  in  the  colony.  But  its 
success  was  of  short  duration. 

After  1766  the  government  l)ounties  were  with- 
drawn, and  this  industry  began  to  droop.  The 
storm  of  the  revolutionary  war  prostrated  it. 
After  the  peace,  the  planters  of  Georgia  turned 
their  attention  to  the  growing  of  cotton,  and  silk 
culture  utterly  and  finally  disaj)peared. 


10 

The  experiineiit  in  (ieorgia — its  rise,  progress, 
aud  decline,  are  the  history  of  silk  culture  iu  all 
the  colonies. 

Brief  notices  of  some  other  colonies  must 
suffice. 

In  South  Carolina  silk-growing  was  prosecuted 
hefore  the  revolution,  and  for  a  time  flourished. 
The  mother  of  the  celel>rated  Pincknevs  carried 
some  silk,  produced  on  her  plantation,  to  England, 
^vhere  it  was  woven  into  tissues.  Gowns  were 
made  of  it  and  presented  1  >y  her  to  the  mother  of 
young  George  III.,  and  to  the  elegant  Earl  of 
Chestei'field.  But  the  same  causes  that  uprooted 
the  business  in  Georfria,  destroyed  it  in  Carolina. 
It  passed  away  in  the  advent  of  cotton  raising. 

Silk  husLandry  received  early  attention  in 
Pennsylvania  and  Xew  Jersey.  The  British 
Government  aided  it  V)y  li])eral  l>ounties.  Dr. 
Franklin,  while  in  Europe  in  177<t,  sent  home, 
for  distribution,  seeds,  mulberry  cuttings,  silk- 
woims"  ecrorsi   etc.,  and,  ^vith  other  distinsjuished 

OO      7  7  7  O 

citizens,  gave  it  much  encouragement. 

In  1771,  a  silk  establishment  was  set  u])  iu 
Philadelphia,  which,  during  a  series  of  years, 
received  a  large  amount  of  cocoons.  A  lady  of 
Lancaster    County  raised   cocoons  tiom  which   a 


11 

piece  of  silk  of  fifty  yards  was  manufactured. 
From  this  a  court  dress  was  prepared  for  the 
Queen,  who  sent  from  Windsor  Castle,  in  return, 
a  handsome  present  to  the  fair  donor  on  the  banks 
of  the  Susquehanna. 

Large  mulberry  groves  flourished  at  Princeton, 
N.  J.,  and  cocoons  of  excellent  quality  were  pro- 
duced in  encouraging  quantities.  But,  as  in  the 
South,  the  convulsion  of  the  revolution,  unusually 
severe  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  pros- 
trated this  branch  of  industry ;  and,  though  efforts 
were  made  after  the  peace,  to  revive  it,  they  were 
not  specially  successful. 

Massachusetts  and  Connecticut  took  the  lead 
in  this  enterprise  in  the  East.  It  received  the 
fostering  support  of  the  authorities.  Governor 
Law,  in  1747,  appeared  in  a  silk  coat  and  stockings 
of  home  production.  A  few  years  afterwards. 
President  Stiles,  of  Yale  College,  officiated  at 
Commencement  in  flowing  robes  of  Connecticut 
silk.  In  1770,  Boston  and  New  Haven  vied  with 
each  other  in  raising  cocoons,  and  in  spinning, 
dyeing,  and  manufacturing  raw  silk. 

A  flourishing  manufactory  of  sewing-silk  was 
established  at  Mansfield,  Conn.,  before  the  revo- 
lution.    Ipswich,  Mass.,  was,  at  the  same  period, 


12 

noted  for  its  silk  products;  wliile  tlie  largest 
and  finest  niull)eriT  nursery  in  tlif  country  Avas 
growing  at  Xorthampton.  All  these  enterprises 
suffered  h\  tlic  l»light  Avliicli  tell  u])on  all  indus- 
trial pursuit>  during  the  revolutionary  war. 

Silk  husbandry  and  manufacturing  had  almost 
ceased  to  exist  in  the  United  States  at  the  com- 
mencement of  this  century.  Since  then  they  have 
not  kept  pace  with  the  advance  in  kindred 
pursuits.  Nevertheless,  they  have  always  been 
prosecuted  to  an  encouraging  extent  in  various 
parts  of  Xew  England,  New  York,  Xew  Jersey, 
and  Pennsylvania.  As,  for  example,  Mansfield, 
already  refeiTed  to,  has  done  a  large  business  in 
sewing-silks,  and  produced  in  1839  five  tons  of 
the  raw  material.  Washington.  Pa.,  always  kept 
up  the  Inisiness.  It  was  introduced  into  the 
State  Prison,  at  Auburn,  X.  Y.,  in  1841 :  and.  the 
first  year,  the  product  of  sewing-silk  was  ab-mt 
sl3,U0U.  It  was  steadily  increasing  in  the  country 
when,  some  twenty-five  years  ago,  its  growth  was 
checked  by  a  disastrous  speculative  n/zc*/-  in  the 
Morui<  MultlcauUs  shrub,  which,  for  a  few  years, 
raged  thi'oughout  the  Union  like  an  epidemic. 

The  reaction  fell  heavily  tipon  the  whole  busi- 
ness,   covering    it    temporarily    with   odium   and 


18 

ridicule.  It  has  since  been  slowly  recoverinu;' 
from  this  season  of  delusion  and  folly. 

In  1840,  the  product  of  silk  raised  in  the 
United  States  was  estimated  at  about  60,000  lbs., 
valued  at  $250,000.  In  1844,  it  had  increased  to 
about  400,000  lt)s.,  worth  $1,500,000.  By  the 
census  of  1850,  when  the  eftects  of  the  speculative 
mania  alluded  to  had  culminated,  the  annual 
product  was  reported  at  only  14,763  lbs.  Then 
it  began  to  revive;  and  by  the  census  report  of 
1860,  it  appears  that  the  manufacture  of  sewing- 
silks  was  carried  on  extensively  in  Connecticut, 
New  Jersey,  Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  York — the  States  being  named  in  the  order 
of  the  value  of  their  products.  The  annual  pro- 
duction in  these  States,  including  tram,  organzine, 
etc.,  was  placed  at  upwards  of  $5,000,000.  Ribbons 
were  made  to  a  small  extent,  as  were  also  silk 
stuffs.  But,  aside  from  seAving-silks,  the  chief 
silk  manufacture  consisted  of  ladies'  dress-trim- 
mings, coach-laces,  etc.,  of  which  the  cities  of 
Philadelphia  and  New  York  are  reported  as 
producing  about   $2,300,000. 

Since  1860,  the  business  in  all  its  departments 
has  made  steady  progress ;  and  the  current  period 
is  more  favorable  than  any  previous  one  for  its 


14 

eiivirgetic  prosecution.  Our  countiy  is  specially 
fitted  for  silk  culture.  The  experiments  in 
Georgia  and  South  Carolina  proved  that  their 
soil  and  climate  were  peculiarly  suited  to  it. 
May  we  not  hope  that,  after  a  lapse  of  eighty-five 
years,  it  will  be  renewed  in  those  States,  and  be 
prosecuted  successfully,  not  only  there,  but  also 
in  all  the  middle  latitudes  of  the  Union,  whose 
rich  soil,  genial  sun,  and  dry  atmosphere 
are  admirably  adapted  to  the  cultivation  and 
manufacture  of  this  beautiful  and  useful  ar- 
ticle? 

But,  though  the  possibility  of  the  success  of  this 
kind  of  industry  has  been  demonstrated  in  a  great 
number  of  localities  in  America,  it  is  probably 
to  the  Pacific  Coast  that  we  are  to  look  for  its 
greatest  triumph. 

Among  the  finest  cocoons  exhibited  at  the 
Ex|30sition,  were  specimens  from  California.  They 
were  perfect  in  form,  and  remarkable  for  their 
white,  silvery  hue.  The  soil  in  the  valleys  of 
Calilbmia  is  proverbially  fertile,  and  mulberiy- 
trees  are  produced  of  the  richest  and  most  lux- 
uriant growth.  Its  dry,  warm,  equable  climate 
make  it  vastly  superior  for  silk  husbandly  to 
France  or  Italy.     In  European  countries,  the  rain 


15 

aud  damj)iiess  destroy  a  much  larger  |)ercentage 
of  tlie  grubs  than  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

An  intelligent  and  enterprising  French  emi- 
grant, who  is  enthusiastically  ])rosecuting  this 
industry  at  San  Jose,  declares  that  the  humidity 
and  electricity  of*  Europe  destroy  from  25  to  75 
per  cent,  of  the  silk-worms,  while  under  the  dry, 
elastic  skies  of  California  few  ever  perish.  These 
considerations,  in  a  measure,  compensate  for  the 
higher  wages  of  American  la])or. 

There  are  other  savings  in  this  industry,  as  com- 
pared with  its  prosecution  in  Europe.  In  California, 
there  is  no  necessity  for  artificial  heat  to  hatch  the 
eggs.  To  transfer  them  from  the  cellar  to  the 
garret,  and  exjoose  them  to  the  beating  of  the  sun's 
beams  on  the  roof  is  sufiicient.  Nor  need  the 
cultivator  run  the  risk  of  the  "  baking "  process, 
so  liable  to  dim  the  lustre  of  the  silk.  The  powerful 
rays  of  the  sun  for  a  few  hours  will  stifle  the 
chrysalis,  render  the  cocoon  ready  for  the  spinner, 
and  preserve  the  brilliancy  of  the  material. 

California'  eggs  are  already  highly  valued  by 
foreign  silk-growers.  Cultivators  are  diffusing 
them  along  the  Pacific  coast.  A  considerable 
capital  is  invested  in  the  silk  business.  The 
largest  cocooneries  ai'e  at  Santa  Barbara. 


16 

An  important  experiment  is  now  being  made 
there  by  energetic  parties,  wlio  have  already 
10,000  thrifty  mulberry -trees,  and  have  produced 
the  present  year  (1867)  upwards  of  300,000 
cocoons  of  excellent  quality. 

An  enterprising  company  is  erecting  an  extensive 
factory  at  San  Jose,  to  be  furnished  with  all  neces- 
sary machinery  (including  some  forty  looms)  for 
producing  taffetas  in  all  colors,  and  of  the  best 
qualities. 

May  we  not  hope  that  the  day  is  not  far 
distant  when  the  plains  that  slide  down  from 
the  western  base  of  the  Sierra  Xevada  will 
become  as  famous  for  beautiful  silks  as  its 
gorges  have  long  been  for  precious  metals,  and 
its  vallevs  are  now  becomins;  for  cereals  ? 

The  nationality  of  the  Commission,  from  which 
this  report  emanates,  must  farnish  the  excuse  for 
dwelling  so  long  at  the  outset  upon  the  subject 
of  silk  culture  and  manufacture  in  the  United 
States.  It  will  be  resumed  in  brief  terms  near 
the  close  of  the  report. 

As  pertaining  to  the  American  branch  of  this 
subject,  it  may  be  stated,  in  this  connection,  that 
silk  culture  was  recently  commenced  in  the 
Re})ul)lie  of   Ecuador.     Its  soil   and  climate  are 


17 

said  to  be  wondertully  {Klaj)te(l  to  the  giowiii 
of  tlie  inull)erry  and  the  rearino^  of  the  criil) 
especially  in  the  neighborhood  of  Quito. 

The  first  eggs  were  imported  from  France  in 
1859.  The  first  exported  to  France  was  in  1865, 
where  the  eggs  were  highly  esteemed,  and  were 
wholly  exempt  from  the  peculiar  disease  prevail- 
ing in  Europe.  Like  its  vegetation,  silk  culture 
in  Ecuador  can  fiourish  the  year  round. 

The  food  required  by  the  worms  is  only  half 
as  much  as  in  Europe,  because  of  the  superior 
richness  of  the  leaves,  and  the  more  favorable 
condition  of  the  climate.  The  number  of  mul- 
berry-trees now  growing  in  the  republic  is  nearly 
a  million.  Labor  is  abundant  and  excessively 
cheap.  The  i)romoters  of  this  enterprise  in 
Ecuador  indulge  sanguine  hopes  of  success. 
No  doubt,  considerable  portions  of  South  America 
are  well  adapted  to  this  department  of  industry. 

REARING    OF    SILK-W()K."\1S. 

Numerous  observations  made  by  French  and 
Italian  scientific  agricultui'alists  and  silk-hus- 
bandmen, show : 

1^*-— Tli'^f  the  culture  of  the  mulberry-tree, 
and  the  breeding  of  silk-worms,  are  possible  up 
2 


18 

tu  a  limit  vt^ry  tar  advauccd  uurtliward>, — a 
limit  fixed  by  the  frequent  occurrence  of  a 
temperature  of  77  degrees  Falirenlieit. 

2d. — The  limit  of  the  culture  of  the  mulberry 
does  not  pass  beyond  that  of  the  cultivation  of 
the  grape,  and  the  culture  of  the  former  is 
possible  wherever  the  latter  will  thrive. 

3d. — The  mulberry  can  be  raised  upon  the 
sides  of  the  mountains  of  Europe,  up  to  the 
point  where  the  mean  temperature  of  the  year 
is  49  degrees  Fahrenheit. 

•4th. — Climates,  habitually  stormy,  are  not 
congenial  to  the  breeding  of  the  silk-worms. 

5th. — Places  afflicted  with  fevers  (proving  the 
existence  of  marshy  emanations)  are  pernicious 
to  the  silk-worms. 

(3th. — This  industry  is  to  l)e  considered  rather 
as  an  adjunct  to  a  large  farm,  than  as  a  chief 
occupation. 

To  these  principles,  given  as  the  natural 
conditions  necessary  or  hurtful  to  the  industry 
of  silk-husbandry,  are  to  he  added  the  not 
less  impoi'tant  questions  of  the  price  at  which 
it  returns  from  the  hand  of  the  woi-kman 
in  each  locality,  and  of  the  aViundance  <>r 
scarcity  of  manual  labor.      We    must,  however. 


10 

remark  tluit  the  iiisutticicncy  ol:'  worms  aiul 
their  high  price  during  more  than  ten  years, 
in  consequence  of  the  malady  of  the  precious 
grul)  in  Europe,  allow  a  remuneration  suffi- 
ciently high  to  cover  the  expenses  of  the 
dearest  hand-labor,  especially  if  we  consider  that 
the  duration  of  care  and  attention,  which  the 
harvesting  of  the  worms  demands,  does  not 
exceed  six  weeks,  counting  from  the  day  of 
hatching  to  a  })eriod  after  the  warehousing  of 
the  cocoons,  which  latter,  according  to  the  best 
systems  in  use  in  Italy  and  France,  can  be  reeled 
during  the  whole  year. 

PRODUCTION    OF    KAW    SILK. 

The  production  of  the  cocoons  is  essentially 
an  agricultural  industry ;  and  the  winding  oif 
the  cocoons  into  raw  silk  may  be  considered  as 
semi-manual,  and,  in  part,  automatic.  All  the 
other  transformations  of  the  silk,  from  the 
throwing  to  the  working  of  stuft's,  are  entirely 
mechanical. 

It  can  hardly  ])e  p()ssi])k'  that,  hencefoi-th,  the 
United  States  will  not  take  a  Uirge  share  in  the 
immense  industrial  and  commercial  movement 
to  which  silk  has  given  rise  in  the  world. 


20 

Certain  countries,  sucli  as  Italy  and  France, 
and  tlie  oriental  nations  in  general,  employ 
themselves  witli  all  tlie  transt'onnations  of  silk, 
from  the  culture  of  the  mulberry,  and  the 
breeding  of  the  worm,  to  the  manulacture  of 
tissues. 

England  (and  others  follow  her  example  to  a 
limited  extent),  although  not  producing  silk  on 
her  own  soil,  yet  carries  on  a  most  imj^oitant 
commerce  in  that  article,  hy  means  of  her 
colonies  and  powerful  marine.  She  developes, 
with  equal  activity,  the  spinning  or  throwing 
of  silk  thread,  and  the  weaving  of  silk  goods. 

In  a  word,  nations,  such  as  the  United  States, 
Switzerland,  and  Xorthern  Germany,  which  are 
almost  exclusively  manufacturers,  confine  them- 
selves to  the  transformation  of  silk  bought  in 
markets  more  or  less  distant. 

The  aptitudes  of  manufacturing  nations  change, 
or  are  materially  modified,  fi'om  time  to  time. 
Russia,  for  example,  could  Ijut  recently  hardly 
be  ranked  among  manufacturing  nations.*  The 
people   of   that   great    empire   are   now  making, 


*  The  culture  of  the  mulberry-tree,  the  inrnduction  of  which 
into  Russia  dates  from  the  period  of  Peter  the  Great,  remained  with- 
out any  g-reat  results  up  to  the  commencement  of  the  present  century. 


21 

not  only  rapid  progress  in  the  industrial  arts, 
but  tliey  have  advanced  in  the  south  of  Russia, 
on  the  Caucasus,  even  to  the  breeding  of  silk- 
worms. 

The  production  of  the  silk-worm  in  that 
country,  since  the  annexation  of  Trans-Caucasian 
Asia,  for  example,  has  been  three-fold,  though 
the  silk  is  far  from  l)eing  worked  with  the 
requisite  care,  it  being  generally  irregular,  and 
suited    only   to   the   most   common  productions. 

In  1865,  this  part  of  Russia  exported  nearly 
30,000  kilo's,  or  66,155  lbs.  of  silk,*  representing 
a  sum  of  about  1,560,000  francs  (|312,000), 
that  is  to  say,  at  the  price  of  about  52  fi'ancs 
the  kilogramme,  while  that  of  France  and  Italy 
sold  for  at  least  double  that  price.  It  is  thought 
that  the  total  silk  production  of  Russia  amounted 
to  about  88,000  kilogrammes,  or  194,054  lbs., 
estimated  at  a  value  of  about  4,576,000  francs 
($915,200.) 

This  result  is  far   short    of   the   limit    which 


*  The  metrical  system  beinfr  in  use  in  most  of  the  countries  from 
which  we  have  derived  our  information,  and  constantly  tending 
to  extend  itself  more  and  more,  especially  since  the  luternatvuml 
Conference  at  Paris,  in  which  our  countryman,  Mr.  Samuel  B.  Kujjfrles, 
bore  so  distinguished  a  i)art,  we  have  thoujjht  it  useful  and  jiroper  to 
retain,  in  i>ai-t,  iov  the  numbers  cited,  tlu>  franc  as  the  unit  of  money, 
and  the  kilojcrramme  as  the  unit  of  wel<jht. 


22 

may  ultimately  l)e  attained  liotli  in  regard  to 
quantity  and  price.  » 

Germany  and  Switzerland  have  tlie  same  ten- 
dency, while  France,  the  different  states  of  Italy, 
and  Spain,  in  consequence  of  the  scourge  which 
attacked  the  production  at  its  source  some  years 
ao:o,  are  l^ecominjj-  almost  entirelv  manutacturiiis: 
countries,  and  benefit  India  and  the  extreme 
East  hy  their  increasing  wants.  The  United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  alone  seems  to  proiit 
by  fluctuations  so  untavorable  to  the  rest  of 
Eui'ope,  and  even  to  America. 

English  ships  go  to  collect  in  China,  in  Japan, 
at  Calcutta,  Bombay,  etc.,  the  e(ji/-'<,  or  graines^ 
cocoons,  silk,  and  the  waste,  to  sell  again.  After 
having  first  directly  sii|-)y)]ied  her  own  manu- 
factories, the  surplus  is  disposed  of  to  her 
neighljours  in  Europe;  she  thus  profiting  by 
the  transport,  "warehousing,  commissions,  broker- 
age, etc. 

Silk  forms  one  of  the  jniucipal  articles  of 
commerce  in  the  business  transactions  of  Eng- 
land with  the  extreme  East. 

The  followinor  table  will  show,  as  nearlv  as  can 
be  ascertained,  the  value  of  tlie    raw    silk    |)ro- 


23 

duced  annually,  in  the  various  countries  of  the 
earth,  and  its  vast  importance  as  an  element 
of  national  wealth : 

Asia 1141,000,000 

Europe 73,480,000 

Africa 220,000 

Oceanica 120,000 

America 80,000 

Total, 1314,900,000 

These  amounts  may  be  divided  as  follows,  viz  : 

Chinese  Empire $81,200,000 

Japanese  Empire 17,000,000 

Persia 5,000,000 

The  Islands  of  Asia  Minor 5,200,000 

Sj-ria 1,800,000 

Turkistan,  independent  (in    Asia), 1,400,000 

Turkistan  (in   China), 400,000 

Corean  Archipelago 100,000 

France 25,600,000 

Italy 39,200.000 

Turkey  in  Europe 7,000,000 

Spain  and  Portugal 3,200,000 

Pontifical  States 1,300,000 

Greece — Ionian  Islands 840,000 

Morocco,  Algeria,  Tunis,Mediterranean  Coast  300,000 
Basin  of  the  Danube,  Austria,  Bavaria,  Hun- 
gary, Servia 1,280,000 

India 24,000,000 

America    80,000 

Total, .' $214,900,000 


These  figures  have  been  greatly  reduced  during 
the  last  few  years,  so  far  as  concerns  the  j)ro- 
duction    in    Europe.     That    difference,    however, 


was  made  up  hy  the  quantities  received  from 
China,  India,  Japan,  and  the  Levant. 

But  those  exotic  silks  are  far  from  heing  as 
highly  esteemed  oi'  as  valuable  as  those  of 
Europe. 

The  modification  in  the  relative  value  of  silk 
which  has  taken  place  during  a  century  is 
worthy  of  note. 

A  century  ago,  nearly  all  the  silk,  or  at  least 
five-sixths  of  the  quantity  manufactured  by 
French  fabricants,  came  from  foreign  countries, 
from  the  Levant,  from  Persia,  Sicily,  Italy,  and 
Spain. 

The  other  sixth  only  was  produced  in  the 
south  of  France.  The  mean  price  of  French 
silk  was  15  francs  the  livre,  or  30  francs  the 
kilogramme  (2^  !t)s).  Exotic  silks  were  much 
dearer.  The  most  common  foreign  raw  silk,  that 
of  Greece,  then  brought  120  francs  the  kilo- 
gramme, China  and  India  silks  240  francs,  and 
that  of  Italy  was  valued  at  from  5o0  to  ()()(> 
fi'ancs.* 

But  by  degrees  French   silk  improved  to  such 


*  These  are  the  prices  as  published  in  the  price-current  of  the 
Amsterdam  marliet,  where,  at  that  period,  the  greatest  quantity  of 
foreign  silk  was  sold. 


25 

an  extent,  that  in  the  early  part  of  this  century 
the  price  advanced  to  7<>  francs  the  kilogramme. 
This  rate  was  maintained  almost  without  varia- 
tion up  to  the  year  1840,  while  foreign  products 
were  depreciated  to  such  a  degree  that  the  very 
best  quality  from  the  Levant  and  from  Persia 
sold  at  40  francs,  and  the  waste  at  32  francs. 

Italy,  during  this  period,  maintained  the 
elevation  in  its  prices,  on  account  of  the  very 
excellent  quality  of  its  silks.  That  was,  never- 
theless, surpassed  by  the  French  silks,  which 
finally  rose  from  the  last  to  the  first  rank,  which 
they  still  maintain. 

The  raw  silks  of  France,  of  the  first  quality, 
at  a  later  period  brought  150  francs,  while  those 
of  the  best  kind  fi'om  Italy  realized  hardly  loo 
francs. 

These  results  are  due  entirely  to  the  progress 
in  French  manufactures,  which  has  largely  con- 
tributed to  the  extraordinary  development  of  the 
silk  industry  that  has  occurred  in  that  country. 

This  specialty  of  silk  industry  has  given  to 
France  the  importance  that  the  cotton  industry 
has  to  England. 

In  this  connection,  it  may  be  profital>le  to  give 
ji  rapid  sketch  (so  far  as  data  at  hand  will  permit) 


of  the  proorressive  development  of  silk  culture  and 
manufacture  in  tlie  principal  countries  of  Eiu'ope 
and  Asia.  Tlie  amounts  are  given  in  round 
numbers,  and.  tliougli  ol:»tained  from  trust woitliy 
sources,  mav  be  lialde  to  some  corrections.  As 
first  in  importance  we  begin  witli  Friince. 

PROGRESSIVE    DEYELOPME^"^    OF    SILK    LNDUSTRY    IX 
FRANCE. 

In  17>^'.  France  produced  1,000,000  lbs.  of  raw 
silk.  Xear  tlie  close  of  tlie  century  she  con- 
sumed al)Out  1,200,000  lbs.  of  silk  thi*ead,  from 
Avhich  she  manufactured  ft-om  $3,000,000  to 
$4,000,000*  (^fifteen  to  twenty  million  fi-ancs)  of 
tissues. 

Of  this  she  pui-chased  about  s  1,400,000  (seven 
million  francs )  from  other  countries. 

The  stock  of  stuff  goods  consec^uently  amounted 
to  from  $4,400,000  to  $5,400,000  (twenty-two  to 
twenty-seven  million  ft-ancs\  of  which  France  ex- 
ported about  one-half  to  foreign  countries. 

In  In  12,  France  produced  600,000  Tbs.  of  raw 
silk,  and  340,000  lbs.  of  organzine,  valued  at 
$5,000,000.  The  same  year  she  imported  900,000 
lbs.,  valued  at  $6,750,000. 


*  Dollars  at  gold  valuation  in  all  cases. 


27 

In  1820,  it  is  estimated  tliat  FiencL  mauiifac- 
turers  transformed  $10,000,000  (fifty  million 
francs)  of  materials,  of  whicli  one  half  was 
furnished  by  the  Southern  Departments.  The 
goods  produced  ft'om  these  materials  represented 
a  value  of  more  than  $20,000,000  (one  hundred 
million  francs),  of  which  $14,000,000  (seventy 
million  francs)  were  consumed  at  home,  and 
$0,000,000  (thirty  million  francs)  were  exported. 

In  1812,  the  silk  looms,  in  seven  of  the  prin- 
cipal towns  of  the  empire,  nimibered  27,000.  In 
1824,  Lyons  alone  had  nearly  25,000.  In  1839, 
the  number  in  Lyons  had  increased  to  40,000, 
and  in  the  whole  kingdom  to  85,000,  employing 
about  170,000  workmen.  In  the  latter  year,  the 
entire  production  was  estimated  at  $40, 800,000. 

In  1850,  the  business  had  largely  increased. 
The  value  of  raw  silk  grown  in  the  kingdom  was 
$28,000,000  (one  hundred  and  forty  million 
francs).  The  amount  employed,  $50,000,000 
(two  hundred  and  fifty  million  francs)  ;  the 
amount  imported  being  $22,000,000.  The  silk 
goods  produced  were  valued  at  $75,000,000 
(three  hundred  and  seventy  million  francs),  of 
which,  about  one-third  were  consumed  at  home, 
nnd  two-thirds  expoited. 


28 

In  1855,  the  value  of  silk  goods  produced  was 
estimated  at  ,$10(),5(M>,()()0,  of  which  al)Out 
$26,500,00(1  was  imported.  The  home  consump- 
tion was  $35,000,000,  and  the  export  al)Out 
$71,500,000.  The  mmiber  of  silk  looms  in  the 
empire  Avas  al»out  225,000.  The  number  of 
persons  engaged  in  this  industry  was  upwards  of 
half  a  million. 

In  1860,  the  value  of  French  silks  amounted  to 
upwards  of  $140,000,000  (seven  hundred  million 
francs),,  and  yet  this  was  not  sufficient  to  supply 
the  demand.  France  purchased  in  foreign  coun- 
tries $40,000,000  (two  hundred  million  francs), 
chiefly  of  piece  goods,  velvets,  and  ril>l)ons.  Of 
this  $180,000,000,  France  exported  about 
$110,000,000  (five  hundred  and  fifty  million 
francs). 

These  totals  were  i-educed  at  the  outT>reak  of 
the  American  reljellion.  France  restricted  to  a 
marked  degree  her  purchases  of  silks. 

The  United  States  imported  from  France,  of 
silk  tissues  alone,  in  1859,  $27,600,000  {one 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  million  francs)  ;  in 
1860,  $20,800,000  (^one  hundred  and  four  million 
fi-ancs)  ;  hut  in  1861,  only  $5,000,000  (^twenty- 
five  million  francs). 


2V) 

Subsequently,  the  business  increased ;  the 
Lyons'  exports  of  silk  goods  to  the  United  States 
in  1865  amomitino-  to  Sr^9,9' )(',(>•>'>,  and  in  ISfWV  to 
^(),i)i »(),()()().  Thouirh  the  rebellion  has  l»een  sup- 
pressed, the  fiscal  measures  resultino-  therefrom 
still  have  their  effect  u{)()n  the  silk  husbandry 
and  manufacture  of  France,  ()i)t'ratinu\  as  they  do, 
at  the  same  ])er!()d  with  the  scarcity  of  indigen- 
ous silk,  and  the  [)re valence  of  the  mysterious 
disease  among  the  silk-worms,  which  has  by  no 
means  disappeared,  and  to  which  s})ecial  reference 
will  be  hereinafter  made. 

RISE    AND     PRO(rRESS     OF    SILK     INDUSTRY     IN    GREAT 
BRITAIN. 

When  the  Duke  of  Farma  sacked  the  City  of 
Antwerp  in  loST),  its  silk  artificers  iied  to  Eng- 
land, carrying  with  them  their  exi)erience  and 
skill  in  this  novel  branch  ot  industry.  It  was 
encouraged  by  the  English  (xovernment.  But, 
the  humid  climate  l)eing  unfavorable  to  the 
rearing  of  the  grul),  it  was  n:)t  specially  successful. 

On  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  in 
l(iS.5,  some  7r),()(i;>  of  the  most  skillful  artizaiis  of 
France  took  refuge  in  'xre-it  Britain,  among 
whom  were  a  large  body  of  silk  weavers,  who 


30 

settled  in  Spitaliields  (then  a  London  subiu-b), 
and,  uuder  tli'e  fostering  care  of  the  crown,  they 
and  their  children  plied  their  vocation  with 
success  for  a  century  and  more  :  some  of  their 
descendents  remaining  in  the  same  locality  to  this 
day. 

For  thiity  or  forty  years  after  this  immigra- 
tion, England  was  wholly  dependent  on  foreign- 
ers for  organzine  silk-thread.  But,  in  171S,  ^Ii\ 
Lomhe,  an  English  capitalist,  visited  Piedmont, 
disguised  as  a  common  laborer,  took  sketches  of 
silk-thi'owing  machinery  in  use  there,  and,  on  his 
return,  erected  an  extensive  mill  at  Derby,  which 
produced  more  than  three  million  yards  of  organ- 
zine per  day. 

For  many  years,  raw  silk  was  largely  impor- 
ted ;  acts  of  Parliament  were  passed  from  time  to 
time  stimulating  its  manufactui*e,  and  the  l)usi- 
ness  was  steadily  advancing,  when,  in  1704.  on 
account  of  low  wages,  scarcity  of  work,  and  the 
preference  shown  for  French  silks,  the  weavers  of 
Spitalfields,  and  the  silk  operatives  of  other 
localities,  assembled  in  a  tumultuous  manner,  and 
petitioned  parliament  for  the  total  prohil)ition  of 
foreign-wrought  silks.  The  commotion  was  kept 
alive    by  coml>inations  of  operatives  for  several 


31 

years,  till,  in  1772,  it  l)i-()k(j  into  open  I'iots, 
wliieli  convulsed  London  many  days,  the  final 
result  Leing  the  passage  of  prolii])itiou  laws, 
which,  after  trial,  proved  unsatisfactory. 

This  system  of  prohibitory  legislation  con- 
tinued till  1824.  A  high  English  authority  has 
declared  that  "  the  manufacturer,  depending  upon 
the  protection  of  Parliamentary  restrictions  on 
foreign  co-mpetition,  rather  than  on  liis  own  skill 
and  exertions,  was  not  anxious  to  discover  and 
introduce  improvements  into  the  manufacture." 
And  he  states  that,  "  since  the  change  of  system, 
the  imports  of  the  raw  material,  and  the  exports 
of  the  manufactured  article,  have  rapidly  in- 
creased." 

In  1825,  the  English  silk-looms  num])ered 
a])out  24,000.  In  1855,  they  had  increased  to 
more  than  110,000,  consuming  al)out  5,500,000 
pounds  of  thrown-silk,  and  producing  goods  to 
the  value  of  nearly  $45, 000,000,  besides  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  spun-silk,  and  goods  of 
which  silk  constituted  a  part. 

In  1855,  England  consumed,  of  her  own  silk 
manufactures,  more  than  $85,ooo,ooo,  while  she 
imported  about  |2< ),( )< )( ►,( )( »( ). 


32 

In  1860,  the  value  of  her  silk  manufactures  was 
estimated  at  some  sOiijiimj  hk  i.  ( )n  account  of 
tlie  extreme  <Iampness  and  chilliness  of  her 
climate  (of  which  mention  has  l»een  made),  she 
raises  no  silk-AV(;>rms.  l>ut  imports  the  raw  material. 

In  1856,  the  value  of  her  imports  of  raw  silk 
was  (omitting  fi'actions)  $32,t>(»(ijtiHi.  and  in  1>«57, 
$58,000,001'.  It  tVll  off  in  185.^,  on  account  of 
the  '•  panic,""  but  again  revived,  Nearly  one-half 
the  amount  of  the  raw  material  came  from  China. 
and  a  large  share  of  the  balance  from  her  East 
India  possessions. 

During  the  three  years  ju-^t  mentioned.  Eng- 
land impoited  slS.ooo.niin  of  thr<twn-silk  :  more 
than  <me-half  beino-  from  France.  an<l  nearly  onc- 
thii'd  fi'om  China. 

In  I860,  the  British  consumption  of  raw  and 
thrown-silk  wa>  0.42' ',417  It.s. :  in  1561,  &,125,982 
!!.>.:  in  1562,  9,7"6,2t»2  It.s.;  in  1863,  8,182,645 
Itjs. ;  in  186-4,  7,541,758  lt:>s.  :  in  1865.  6.492.72<i 
lt)s. :  and  in  1>;66.  it  was  but  5,273.767  It.s. 

In  1523,  (Treat  Britain  ex]:)Oited  of  silk  goods 
only  s7'>2,"i'":  in  1^44  it  exported  s3,682,0O0  ; 
in  1656,  .S14,8<>()jtMMi  :  in  1858,  $11,950,000;  in 
1861,  i$ll,56o,9o<»:  in  1^65.  $ln,886,Ooo. 


33 

Thus  we  see  that  this  great  manufacturing 
nation,  although  deprived  of  the  capacity  to 
successfully  produce  the  raw  material,  by  its 
uncongenial  climate,  has  long  prosecuted  a  large 
business,  in  the  transformation  of  this  beautiful 
article,  though  now  seriously  checked  in  many 
branches  of  its  silk  industry,  l)y  the  effect  of  the 
recent  treaty  with  France. 

What  an  instructive  lesson  is  thus  taught  to 
the  citizens  of  our  country,  where  everji^hing  com- 
bines to  render  the  prosecution  of  this  industry 
preeminently  successful. 

OTHER  EUROPEAN  COUNTRIES. 

Italy  was  early  famous  for  its  silk-culture  and 
manufactures.  In  Milan  and  vicinity,  in  the  year 
18U(>,  about  2,000,0()()  lbs.  of  raw  silk  were  said 
to  have  been  collected.  In  1825,  the  quantity 
was  estimated  at  2,7<  »(>,()(  mi  lbs.,  valued  at 
$lo,0( )(),()()( I.  In  1858,  at  5,4on,(MM)  ir)s.,  worth 
$3(>,000,()00.  In  1825,  Piedmont  produced  about 
1,500,000  lbs.  of  raw  silk,  of  the  very  highest 
quality.  In  the  same  year  Tuscany,  Naples,  the 
Romagna,  and  Calalu-ia  produced  1,500,000  lbs., 
also  of  excellent  quality. 


34 

In  ls51.  an  Austrian  official  document  stated 
tlie  production  in  tlie  Austrian  dominions  of 
Italy  at  s21,70o,0U()  in  raw  silk,  and  sl4,2n(i,rHiO 
in  manufactured  silks. 

In  1855,  tlie  total  of  l)otli  kinds  of  silk  in  tlie 
whole  Italian  peninsula  was  stated  at  upwards  of 
$60,00o,n(  M  I.  A  considerable  portion  is  consumed 
at  home,  and  tlie  remainder  exported,  chiefly  to 
Germany,  France,  and  England. 

Spain  produced,  in  1842,  about  2,000,000  lbs. 
of  raAv  silk,  three-fifths  of  which  was  raised  in 
Valencia.  About  4(»<\(i(h»  lbs.  were  manufactui'ed 
at  home,  and  the  rest  exported.  The  Spanish 
cocoons  are  excellent,  but  much  of  the  reelins:  is 
defective.  Valencia  silks,  where  o-reat  care  has 
been  taken  in  the  manipulation,  are  famous  for 
their  magnificence. 

In  Prussia,  silk  manufacture  is  rapidly  increas- 
ing. The  number  of  looms,  in  1831,  ^vas  9,UUl» ; 
in  1887,  14,t>(i(i :  in  1855  25,000;  and  in  1865, 
not  less  than  4tvi(»().  In  the  Exhibition  were 
superb  silks,  velvets,  velvet  ril)bons,  Idack  silk- 
ribbons,  mixed  and  unmixed  silk  fabrics  of 
various  descriptions,  fi'om  Crefeld,  Elberfeld, 
Viersen,  and  vicinity.  The  waters  in  that 
locality,  especially  those  of  the  Wupper,  hold  in 


35 

solution  salts,  specially  adapted  to  secure  per- 
manence and  brilliancy  to  the  colors  employed  in 
manufacture. 

Austria  is  engaged  somewhat  extensively  in 
silk  manufacture ;  but  since  she  relinquished  her 
Italian  dominions,  her  total  production  will 
naturally  be  greatly  diminished. 

The  product  of  Switzerland,  in  1858,  was 
placed  at  $20,000,000. 

The  "  Collective  JiJxliihition  of  the  Zurich  Manu- 
f act u  revs'''  of  black  and  colored  silks — ^plain  and 
figured,  and  the  ^^  Collective  ■  Exhibition  of  the 
Basle  silk  rihhoii  maniifacttirers^''  as  shown  in  the 
Exposition,  evince  the  progress  and  perfection 
to  which  Swiss  skill  in  silk  industry  has  now 
attained. 

Russia  has  already  been  alluded  to.  After 
France  and  England,  the  nations  that  come  in  the 
order  of  their  importance,  in  respect  to  silk 
manufactures,  are  Switzerland,  Prussia,  Austria, 
Italy,  and  Spain. 

France  maintains  a  great  superiority  over  all 
in  her  rich  and  artistic  productions.  But,  in 
plain  goods,  and  those  of  a  secondary  quality, 
she  finds  serious  rivalry  in  British,  Swiss,  and 
German  industry.      Switzerland  is  becoming  re- 


86 

markahle  for  her  activity,  her  constant  progress, 
and  her  improvements  in  material  interests. 

In  a  suljsequent  part  of  this  report,  the  occasion 
will  l)e  emliraced  to  examine  the  improvements 
she  brought  to  the  Exposition,  since  there  is  a 
great  analogy  Ijetween  the  situation  of  the  indus- 
trial genius  of  that  republic,  and  the  social  and 
manufacturing  condition  of  the  United  States. 

ASIATIC    COUNTRIES    AND    AFRICA. 

China  raises,  manufactures,  consumes,  and  ex- 
ports a  vast  amount  of  silk. 

It  is  impossiV>le  to  estimate  the  quantity  con- 
sumed at  home.  A  high  authority  declares,  that 
of  her  four  hundred  millions  of  people,  a  large 
proportion,  excepting  the  lowest  classes,  are  clad, 
more  or  less,  in  silk  fabrics.  She  exported  to 
England  al<«ie,  in  1<S58,  nearly  10,000,000  lbs. 

In  the  East  India  Company's  possessions  the 
product  is  large.  In  1857.,  they  exported  to  Eng- 
land about  4,500,000  !l)s.  Persia  produced  great 
quantities,  nuich  of  which  is  consumed  at  home. 
The  amount  raised  in  Syria  and  Asia  Minor 
is  some  2,500,000  lt)S.  per  annum,  of  which  a 
large  share  is  exported  to  Frnnce   and   Enghnid. 


37 

Refereuce  to  other  Asiatic  countries  of  inferior 
importance  in  this  partieuUir,  is  omitted. 

Silk  has  long  been  produced,  in  small  quantities, 
along  the  African  shores  of  the  Mediterranean. 

England  exports  some  of  the  raw  material  from 
Egypt,  l)ut  the  greater  share  of  the  production  of 
the  Nile  region  is  consumed  at  home.  Tripoli 
produced,  in  1842,  about  130,000  lbs.  The  Islands 
of  Egypt  and  Crete  raised,  in  1859,  some  50,000. 

SPECIALITIES,  EMBRACED  BY  SILK  USTDUSTRY  IN  THE 
EXPOSITION    AND    IN    PRACTICE. 

The  labor  in  silk  comprises  seven  distinct 
branches,  forming  as  many  different  industries, 
even  when  a  single  manufacturer  conducts  several 
in  one  establishment.     These  specialities  are : 

1st. — The  breeding  or  rearing  of  silk- worms, 
called  in  France  the  art  of  the  magncmier^  or 
silk- worm  breeder.  This  word  comes  from  magnan, 
the  name  given  to  the  grub  of  the  white  mulberry 
in  the  south  of  France. 

The  appellation  macpufniert^  or  silk- worm 
nursery,  is  given  to  the  locality  where  the  worms 
are  hatched,  fed,  and  attended  to  from  their  birth 
till  they  have  formed  their  silky  envelope  or 
cocoon. 

These  silk- worm  nurseries  are  generally  estab- 


38 

listed  in  localities  or  countries  favorable  to  the 
cultivation  of  tlie  mulberry-tree,  of  whose  leaves, 
and  white  fruit  especially,  the  worm  is  particularly 
fond  ;  also  where  the  temperature  is  regular  and 
moderate.  Nevertheless,  this  last  condition  is  not 
indispensable. 

It  is  replaced  artificially,  by  special  means  of 
warming  and  ventilation,  so  as  to  maintain,  at 
will,  constantly,  the  temperature  between  70  and 
75  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  thus  be  able  to  breed 
numerous  little  grubs.  (One  ounce,  or  thirty 
grammes  contains  about  40,000,  while  fi'om 
twenty  ounces  800,000  have  been  obtained  at  a 
time  in  the  same  place.)  This  result  is  arrived  at 
chiefly  by  watchfulness  in  ventilation,  in  removing 
the  vitiated  air  and  replacing  it  by  pure  air. 

The  art  of  the  silk-worm  breeder  embraces 
what  is  called  "the  fabrication  of  the  graine," 
or,  more  correctly,  of  the  eggs  to  be  used  in  the 
reproduction. 

The  cocoons  desi2:ned  for  this  function  are  the 
only  ones  whose  chrysalis  or  grub  is  allowed 
to  be  transformed  into  the  butterfly. 

These  are .  moistened,  and  then  the  grub  opens 
one  of  the  lengthened  extremities  of  the  cocoon, 
and  issues  from  it. 


39 

Then  the  grubs  are  collected  by  pairs,  male 
and  female,  to  permit  fecundation  before  the 
laying  of  the  eggs. 

These  fecondes^  suspended  on  paper  or  cloth, 
are  subsequently'  put  aside,  until  the  following 
spring,  in  an  atmosphere  of  even  temperature,  and 
sufficiently  low,  like  that  of  cellars. 

This  part  of  the  art  of  the  breeder,  so  simple 
in  appearance,  demands  special  knowledge  and 
great  care,  particularly  at  this  time  when  it  is  so 
difficult  to  procure  eggs  free  from  the  epidemic 
now  raging  among  the  silk- worms. 

2d.  The  second  specialty  in  this  industry  is  the 
filature^  or  reeling  of  the  silk  from  the  cocoons  into 
the  threads  known  as  raw  silk,  and  composed  of 
fibres  of  a  certain  number  of  cocoons,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  thread  required.  It  is  a  most  delicate, 
untwisted  product,  but  wanting  in  luster  on  account 
of  its  containing  some  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  gum. 

3d.  The  throiving  of  silk,  or  the  process  of 
putting  the  raw  silk  into  the  threads  required 
for  the  different  kinds  of  weaving:. 

It  is  at  the  "tlirowing"  that  the  threads  are 
formed  that  figure  so  conspicuously  at  the  Exposi- 
tion, and  also  in  commerce,  under  the  names  of 
singles^  trains^  and  organzines. 


40 

There  are  also  otlier  kinds  of  thrown  silk 
known  as  marahouts,  grenadines^  crpee,  sale  ondee^ 
etc.,  which  are  twisted  differently  from  trams  and 
organzines,  for  special  purposes. 

Let  us  look,  for  a  moment,  at  the  comparative 
value  of  each  of  these  descriptions. 

The  singles  are  the  raw  silk  after  the  first 
twist. 

The  fram^  or  woof,  is  obtained  Ijy  the  union  of 
two  or  more  threads  of  raw  silk  slightly  twisted. 

The  organzine^  from  which  generally  the 
warp  is  made,  is  the  result  of  two  singles 
t^^^sted  together. 

A  product  of  a  peculiar  nature,  fr'equenth"  used 
in  the  manufacture  of  trimmings,  is  the  fil  guipe. 
It  is  composed  of  one  or  more  straight  threads, 
around  which  is  rolled  a  spiral  thread,  the 
interior  being  generally  of  indifferent  material, 
and  the  thread  rolled  around  is  composed  of  silk, 
gold,  or  silver. 

4th.  The  dyeing  constitutes  an  important  speci- 
alty. rec|uiring  the  greatest  possible  delicacy  and 
skill ;  pure  water  being  essential  to  success. 

5th.  The  preparation  of  the  threads  for  the 
loom  is  another  separate  and  essential  branch, 
requiring  care  and  attention. 


41 

Otli.  The  weaving  embraces  in  itself  alone 
several  su])-(livisions,  namely :  The  weaving  of 
plain  and  cut  silk  goods,  the  Aveaving  of  velvets, 
of  tiiTured  stuffs  more  or  less  rich,  the  knittino;  of 
various  articles,  and  the  fabrication  of  silk  blondes 
or  laces. 


THE    SPINNING    i)¥    WASTE    SILK. 

7th.  The  preceding  processes  3  ield  a  certain 
quantity  of  waste^  varying  with  the  nature  of  the 
operations  and  the  cpialities  of  the  products. 

This  waste  is,  in  its  turn,  transformed  from  the 
raw  state,  where,  after  having  been  cleaned  from 
the  gummy  matter,  chiefly  by  mechanical  means, 
it  presents  a  close  analogy  to  the  stri])pings  and 
windings  of  cotton  and  coml)ed  avooL 

These  processes  are  the  basis  of  great  in- 
dustries w^hich  flourish  in  England  and  on  the 
Continent. 

The  threads  thus  produced  vary  in  value  from 
30  to  (>0  fi-ancs  the  kilo,  according  to  their 
fineness  and  (piality. 

These  branches  of  industry  are  now  carried  on, 
to  some  extent,  by  American  manufacturers. 


42 


EXAMIXATIOX    OF   THE    POSITION  OF  EACH    OF    THESE 
IXDUSTRIES,  AND  THEIR  PROGRESS  AS  MANI- 
FESTED   IX    THE    EXPOSITION. 

In  tlie  art  of  silk-worm  breeding,  tlie  (|nestion 
of  first  importance  consists  in  the  means  of 
obtainino;  tlie  amines  or  eo-o-s.  Good  e2:o:s  bear 
an  exorbitant  price.  They  are  worth  at  the  rate 
of  300  francs  the  kilo. ;  and  still  they  cannot 
always  be  produced,  guaranteed  against  the  pre- 
vailing malady,  except  fi*om  Japan. 

The  States  of  South  America  apj)ear  to  enjoy 
the  same  immunity. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  prevailing  epi- 
demic (about  the  year  1846),  other  countries 
furnished  healthy  eggs,  but  their  exemption  did 
not  continue  after  the  second  or  third  generation. 

Thus  it  is,  that  the  United  States  have  been 
led  to  put  all  silk  producing  countries  under 
contribution. 

"Will  the  eggs  of  Japan  and  of  South  America, 
at  the  present  time  so  much  sought  after,  escape 
this  degeneracy,  of  which,  despite  the  numerous 
investisrations,  Ave  as  \et  do  not  kno^v  the  cause  ? 

But  if  the  cause  remains  concealed,  the  pre- 
ventive means  beo:in  to  be  more  clearlv  es- 
tablished. 


43 

The  following  method  is  generally  admitted 
and  recommended  by  men  recognized  as  the  most 
competent  judges,  and  since  it  is  the  combined 
result  of  great  experience  and  observation,  it  will 
be  read  with  interest  in  all  countries  which  desire 
to  encourage  the  culture  of  the  silk-worm  : 

1st.  It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  to  choose 
for  re-production  cocoons  of  the  largest  size,  and 
those  the  most  successfully  reared  and  least 
affected  with  the  malady  during  the  course  of 
their  development.  These  cocoons  are  recognized 
by  the  regularity  of  their  form,  the  roundness 
of  their  extremities,  the  fineness  of  grain  on  the 
surface,  and  the  solidity  and  thickness  of  the 
layers  or  silky  envelopes. 

The  male  cocoons  differ  from  the  females  l)y 
their  shape  and  size :  the  former  are  smaller  than 
the  latter,  and  present  a  cavity  upon  their  back. 
The  latter  are  larger,  presenting  the  figure  of  an 
olive,  or  the  agg  of  a  small  Ijird. 

The  color  of  these  cocoons  ought  to  be  of  a 
golden  yellow,  after  collecting,  and  should  exhibit 
no  spot  or  stain  <>f  any  kind. 

In  the  same  breed,  tlie  heaviest  cocoons  are,  in 
general,  those  ^vhich  offer  the  greatest  chance  of 
affording  the  best  reproductions. 


44 

Theu,  after  having  put  a  certain  numljer  of 
male  c<>c<)"ns  on  one  side,  and  of  female  on  the 
other,  weigh  Itoth  parts  to  find  the  average 
weiofht  of  each,  and  everv  time  that  this  averaore 
weight  is  exceeded,  there  is  a  presumption  that 
excellent  cocoons  are  obtained  for  reproduction, 
all  other  things  being  equal. 

It  is,  however,  necessary  to  remark  that,  as  one 
part  of  the  cocoons  contains  sometimes  the  same 
gross  measiu'ement,  it  should  not  be  confounded 
with  the  normal  cocoons.  Cocoons  of  an  excep- 
tional bulk  are,  in  general,  the  result  of  two 
UTul>s  united  under  the  same  envelope.  Their 
product  is  known  under  the  name  of  "doubles," 
or  rknqypions  or  t^x\\\  threads. 

This  sort  of  product  is  always  inferior,  as  much 
because  the  beds  or  envelopes  are  almost  indi- 
visible, as  because  the  associati()n  in  the  work 
indicates  a  weakness  in  the  subject.  NotAvith- 
standing  all  the  attention  and  care  given  by  the 
breeder  to  prevent  the  production  of  doubles,  and 
sometimes  even  of  triples,  he  must,  inevitably, 
expect  to  find  a  certain  proportion  of  those,  the 
value  of  \\  hich  is  hardly  one-third  the  price  of 
the  normal  pr(.)duct. 

There   was    exhil)ited    in    the    Exposition    an 


45 

apparatus,  contrived  by  an  Italian  silk-hus])an(l- 
nian,  designed  to  prevent  these  ''^  doitppioiis^''  in 
the  breeding  of  worms. 

The  apparatus  consists  in  an  arrangement  of 
cells,  made  of  very  light  wood,  each  one  of  which 
has  only  the^bulk  necessary  for  a  single  grul). 
When  these  come  to  their  full  development, 
ready  to  spin  their  cocoon  or  })all,  instead  of 
preparing  heath,  shrubs,  or  other  kinds  of  shelter 
or  supports,  against  which  the  worms  are  to  spin, 
this  kind  of  cell  is  suj^plied  where  each  insect 
has  its  own  separate  case,  which  prevents  two  or 
any  greater  number  from  uniting  to  make  a 
defective  product. 

The  Italian  exhibitor  is  endeavoring:  to  brinji; 
into  general  use  this  system  of  isolation,  or 
cellular  breeding. 

The  system  presents,  according  to  the  inventor, 
other  advantages,  by  the  facility  ^vhicll  it  offers 
in  the  choice  of  the  best  reproducers,  and  by 
preventing  the  coupling  between  gru])s  of  the 
same  family,  consanguinity  having  been  considered 
as  one  cause  of  the  rapid  deterioration  of  the  breed. 

When  the  coupling  has  been  accomplished,  the 
females  are  removed,  and  made  to  lay,  each  in  the 
cell  reserved  for  her,  in  sucli  a  w  av  as  to  be  able 


46 

to  weigli  separately  the  eggri  of  each  laving.  This 
weight  is  not  to  l;>e  inferior  to  a  certain  ascertained 
proportion,  for  the  eggs  would  then  l)e  e\4dentlY 
bad. 

In  order  that  tliey  may  oiJ'er  good  chances  of 
success,  each  la^^^ng  should  weigh  at  least  sixty 
or  seventy  grammes  (per  kilo,  of  cocoons),  each 
gramme  to  contain  1,350  to  1,500  eggs  on  an 
average. 

THE    COM^rOX    SILK-WOR:Nr.    (OB  BOMBTx  MORI.) 

The  common  silk-worm  and  the  species  mostly 
in  use,  and  which  produces  by  far  the  liest  silk, 
is  born  in  the  sj)ring,  ordinarily  about  the  middle 
of  May.  It  feeds  on  the  leaves  of  the  Mulberry 
tree,  and  attains  its  full  gro^vth  in  about  six 
weeks.  During  that  period  it  changes  its  skin 
four  times,  and,  according  to  M.  de  Quatrefages, 
of  the  French  Institute,  increases  its  weight 
72,000  times. 

Early  in  July,  having  reached  its  full  develop- 
ment, it  establishes  the  work-shop  of  its  wondei-fiil 
manufacture. 

Placed  in  a  comfortaljle  and  secure  position, 
it  proceeds  to  envelope  itself  in  a  cocoon,  formed 


47 

by  a  filament  of  exceedingly  fine  silk,  emitted  from 
the  stomach  of  the  insect. 

It  soon  disappears  in  the  center  of  the  cocoon, 
or  silken  envelope,  and,  after  about  seventy-two 
hours  of  unremitting  labor,  produces  a  thread 
ordinarily  not  less  than  1600  yards  in  length. 

In  that  chosen  retreat,  the  silk-worm  again 
sheds  its  skin  for  the  fifth  time;  but  the  insect, 
which  comes  out  is  no  longer  a  silk-worm,  but  a 
chrysalis,  bearing  but  slight  resemblance  to  the 
worm.  After  two  weeks  or  more,  according  to 
the  temperature,  the  skin  of  the  chrysalis,  in  its 
turn,  opens,  and,  changing  for  the  last  time,  it 
becomes  a  butterfly,  lays  some  hundreds  of  eggs, 
and  dies. 

Besides  the  Bomhijx  Moi%  there  are  other 
species  of  silk-worms  that  merit  a  brief  notice, 
and  particularly  the  following : 

CASTOR-OIL    PLANT    SILK-WORM,    (bombtx  arrindia.) 

This  species  of  silk- worm  is  a  native  of  Bengal 
and  of  British  India.  It  lives,  Ijoth  in  its  wikl 
and  in  its  domesticated  condition,  \\\w\\  common 
castor-oil  plants  and  other  vegetation.  It  was  but 
recently  introduced  into  Europe  l)y  means  of  a 


48 

few  living  cocoons,  imported  into  Malta.  Their 
propagation  was  not  only  successful,  but  it  was 
continued  in  Italy ;  whence  many  were  sent  to 
France  and  to  the  Canary  Islands. 

Wherever  the  castor-oil  plant  grows  sponta- 
neously, as  in  Algiers,  Brazil,  and  Kio  de  la 
Plata,  the  efforts  to  rear  this  species  of  silk-worm 
have  1)een  crowned  with  success.  Its  cocoons 
cannot  l)e  reeled  in  the  ordinaiy  way,  T>ut  they 
furnish  a  staple,  which,  when  spun  into  threads, 
produces  fabrics  of  great  suppleness  and  dura- 
bility, though  almost  destitute  of  luster. 


AILANTHUS    SILK-WOKM.    (bombtx  ct>-thia  ysra..) 

This  kind  of  worm  is  indigenous  to  the 
temperate  regions  of  China,  Avhere  it  lives  mainly 
on  the  Ailauthus. 

It  has  long  l)een  cultivated  by  the  Chinese  in 
the  open  aii-,  and  produces  an  elongated  cocoon  of 
a  reddish  shade,  fiu-nishing  a  kind  of  Bourre  de 
Soie^  from  which  is  made  a  very  strong  and 
durable  tissue. 

This  silk- worm  was  introduced  into  Europe  for 
the  first  time  in  1857,  and  into  France  in  1858, 


49 

where  the  first  successful  rearing  of  it  is  chiefly 
due  to  Madame  Drouyu  de  L'huys. 

But  it  is  to  M.  Guerin-Meneville,  who,  under 
the  patronage  of  the  Emperor,  experimented 
extensively  and  with  success,  that  belongs  the 
credit  of  having  given  to  this  silk  its  growing 
importance  and  industrial  value. 

THE    TUSSEII    SILK-WOKM.    (bombtx  mhita.) 

This  notable  insect  lives  in  a  wild  state  in 
Bengal,  and  in  the  hot  regions  of  India,  in  the 
woods  where  the  inhabitants  go  to  gather  the 
cocoons,  which  are  remarkable  for  their  size  and 
form.  Its  favorite  food  is  the  leaves  of  the  Jujube 
tree.  Efforts  have  been  repeatedly  made  to 
reproduce  it  in  France,  but  in  vain. 

The  cocoons  of  this  insect  produce  a  fine  and 
l)rilliant  silk,  and  very  strong,  known  in  India  as 
Tusseh,  of  which  large  quantities  are  exported  to 
Europe. 

THE    WILD    SILK-WOKM    OF    JAPAN,    (bombtx  Yama-Mat.) 

This  worm,  raised  from  eggs,  sent  from  Japan 
by  the  Consul-General  of  France,  at  Yedo,  has 
been  successfully  reared. 


50 

The  oak-leaf  and  trees  of  the  same  kind  are  its 
only  nriurislnnenT. 

It  '1'  I*:--  n<  iT  ivriuire  oTeat  heat,  and  is  easy  to 
raise.  Its  l-ocooh  is  of  a  greenish  yellow ;  is 
tV.iined  like  that  of  the  ordinary  silk-wonn.  and 
can  Ije  reeled  into  a  lieautifiil  silk. 


BOiEBYX    CECROPIA. 

This  ilescripti'U  of  worms,  indigenous  to  the 
temperate  regir>ns  r.f  Xorth  America,  is  found 
principally  in  the  Carolinas,  Louisiana,  and 
Vu-cfinia,  In  its  uncultivated  state  it  lives  upon 
the  elm,  the  willow,  and  other  trees.  It  produces 
a  larsre  cocoon  of  a  loose  textui*e  and  coarse  silk. 

At  the  Exhihition  there  was  a  collection  of 
silk-wonns  in  their  rjitferent  stages.  A  quantity 
of  ecrars,  of  niiill  t-ny  It-aves,  and  all  that  relates 
t' >  the  rearing"  '-'t  the  silk-wonn,  were  also  displayed 
there. 

The  silk-woiTu  is  tender  aE  1  delicate.  The 
experiences  of  the  last  twenty  years  ha^-e  proven 
that  it  is  liahle  to  epidemics  that  rage  with 
peculiar  vir.lence  and  fatality. 


51 


STATE    OF    THE     SILK-WORM     IMALADY    AND    THE    REM- 
EDIES   PROPOSED. 

During  the  period  in  which  the  disease  in 
question  has  attacked  the  silk-worm,  great  re- 
search and  the  most  minute  study  have  been 
made  to  ascertain  the  cause. 

Some  have  ascril)ed  this  calamity  to  the  mul- 
berry ;  others  have  compared  it  to  a  species  of 
x\siatic  cholera,  or  an  epidemic  analogous  to  the 
cattle  distemper,  from  which  England  and  Ger- 
many have  suffered  so  much  within  the  last  few 
years. 

Others  have  asserted  that  the  Ijreeder  had 
gradually  departed  from,  and  neglected  those 
healthful  traditions  and  maxims  so  essential  to 
be  observed  in  the  l)reedino;  and  rearins;  of  such 
delicate  creatures. 

The  breeder,  perceiving  that  he  could  abridge 
the  period  of  rearing  by  raising  the  temperature 
of  the  nursery,  prematurely  matured  unhealthy 
broods,  and  thence  there  arose  numerous  acci- 
dents, because,  l)y  raising  the  temperature,  the 
appetite  was  forced,  which  caused  derangements 
in  the  animal  economy. 

These  different  causes,  more  or  less  vague  and 


52 

indeterminate,  may  have  contributed  t<»  the  de- 
velopment of  the  epidemic.  However,  the  theoiy 
of  disease  in  the  mulbeny  is  hardly  admissible, 
considering  that  it  has  been  demonstrated  that 
Tvonns  of  different  l»reeds  or  races,  nourished  by 
the  leaves  of  the  same  tree,  have  ex]>erienced  dif- 
teif nt  fates.  Some  succeeded ;  the  others  were 
attacked  1  >y  the  disease  and  perished.  Therefore, 
the  foo<l  in  these  cases  was  innocent  of  the  effect. 

In  the  difficulties  by  which  we  find  ourselves 
invr)lvt-<l  in  t-ndeavoring  to  determine  the  cause 
of  the  mala<ly.  we  have  only  to  seek  out  the 
character  and  seat  of  the  evil,  to  be  able  a  pri- 
ori, to  reject  infected  subjects. 

After  numerous  investigations  l)y  eminent  men, 
ceitaiu  spots,  or  bodies  of  peculiar  form  and  ap- 
pearance, were  discovered  with  the  aid  of  the 
microscope  in  the  very  tissues  of  the  diseased 
worms  at  the  liottom  of  their  digestive  canal, 
evidently  tbreign  to  their  organization,  and  in 
quantities  proportionate  to  the  violence  of  the 
disease.  To  these  little  spots,  or  l»odies,  the 
name  of  corpuscuhs  was  given.  They  are  oval, 
transparent,  smaller  than  the  globules  of  human 
liloo'l.  and  resemble  the  globules  of  certain  fer- 
mentations. 


53 

Widely  different  theories  prevail  in  regard  to 
tliese  corpus(Mle.%  and  tlie  remedies  required  for 
their  er.idiciition.  The  distinguished  savant^  M. 
Pasteur,  has  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  an 
organic,  constitutional  affection  of  the  insect,  to 
destroy  which,  either  a  specific  remedy  must  be 
found,  or  else  all  the  conditions  favorable  to  the 
production  of  the  corjyuscules  must  be  avoided, 
either  l)y  o1)taining  eggs  from  countries  exempt 
from  the  malady,  or  by  allowing  none  but 
healthy  insects  to  propagate.  He  has  demon- 
strated that  contact  between  healthy  and  infected 
worms  does  not  impart  the  disease ;  while  on  the 
other  hand,  the  absorption  of  a  few  corpnscides 
through  the  feeding  upon  leaves  washed  with 
Gorpuscules  water,  causes  the  epidemic  to  spread 
with  incredible  rapidity. 

M.  Pasteur  is  of  the  opinion  that  search  must 
be  made  for  the  corpuscides  in  the  chrysalis^  and 
he  develops  a  very  ingenious  method  for  facili- 
tating the  discovery.  He  recommends  the  imme- 
diate destruction  of  all  insects  known  to  l)e 
affected,  and  the  separation  from  them  of  healthy 
sul)jects,  and  enjoins  the  utmost  cleanliness  as  an 
essential  condition  to  the  extii'pation  of  the  dis- 
ease fi-om  a  silk  nursery. 


54 

M.  Beelianip,  who  lias  devoted  great  patience 
to  the  investigation,  propounds  the  theory  that 
the  disease  is  parasitic,  and  that  the  parasite  is  of 
a  vegetable  natui'e,  of  the  order  of  fermentations, 
and  that  remedies,  like  creosote  will  aiTest,  if  not 
destroy  the  development  of  these  vegetable  "  cor- 
puscules."  His  mode  of  application  is  to  wash 
the  eo-o-s  in  a  solution  of  creosote,  or  diffuse  an 
impregnate  vapor  through  the  rooms  of  the  silk- 
worm nursery. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the  methods  recommended 
by  each  of  these  gentlemen  for  the  extennination 
of  the  disease,  have  been  tried,  l)ut  with  only  par- 
tial success.  But  all  concur  in  the  opinion  that 
the  eggs  of  diseased  subjects  are  unfit  for  use, 
and  should  l)e  rejected. 

It  has  been  demonstrated  also,  that  the  grubs, 
the  chrysalides,  and  the  moths,  proceeding  from 
the  Japanese  race,  or  that  of  the  South  American 
States,  have  been,  to  the  present  moment,  free 
fi'om  all  trace  of  corpuscuUs^  and  all  symptoms  of 
the  disease. 

Practical  breeders  of  the  South  of  France  have 
made  very  interesting  experiments,  from  which  it 
resulted  that  the  worm,  when  hatched  and  bred 
in  stables,  or  in  sheep-folds,  generally  did  well. 


00 


Comparative  experiments  prove  that  tlie  same 
lot  of  eggs,  divided  into  two  parts,  gave  products 
good  in  quality  and  (|uantity  as  to  the  half  raised 
in  the  atmosphere  of  a  stable,  whilst  the  grubs  of 
the  other  part,  l)red  under  the  ordinary  condi- 
tions, generally  perished. 

These  repeated  trials  ap})ear  to  demonstrate 
that  the  grave  nature  of  the  affliction  can  be 
modified  by  the  alkalinity  of  the  atmosphere, 
which  developes  itself  in  so  declared  a  manner 
under  the  conditions  of  which  we  have  just 
spoken. 

It  is  a  species  of  treatment,  analogous  to  that 
of  the  water  and  salt  of  Vichy,  and  other  thermal 
springs. 

ELEMENTS    AND    EXPENSE    WHICH    AllISE    FROM     THE 
BREEDING    OF    SILK-WORMS. 

The  industry  whose  object  is  the  production  of 
cocoons,  is  composed  of  elements  so  special  and  so 
different  from  those  of  manufactures  in  general, 
as  to  require  that  some  details  be  given  on  the 
subject,  partly  agricultural  and  partly  manufac- 
turing. 

The  basis  of  the  labor  of  the  silk- worm  breeder 


56 

is  founded  in  general  on  tlie  amount  of  mulljen-v 
leaves  consumed.  These  leaves  constitute  in  this 
case  the  raw  material. 

We  will  give  some  figures  derived  fi'om  locali- 
ties where  the  population  is  relatively  condensed, 
such  as  the  South  of  France  and  the  Xorth  of 
Italy,  the  principal  European  centers  tor  rearing 
the  silk-worm  and  the  mull  )erry. 

A  hectare  (or  2  j^,^  acres)  of  land,  planted  with 
2,500  mull)eny  trees,  produced  annually  an  aver 
age  of  5,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves ;  the  expenses  of  all 
kinds  for  the  cultui*e  of  this  quantity  may  amount 
to  350  francs  a  year. 

Then  the  1,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves  amounted  to  70 
francs. 

The  1,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves  support  a  variable 
quantity  of  cocoons.  In  normal  years  it  may 
amount  to  60  kilogrammes. 

Taking  the  1,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves  as  the  unit 
the  average  expenses  for  feeding  worms,  for  80 
on-ammes  of  es^Q-s,  are  as  follows : 

30  gT.  of  eggs,  with  a  price  verv  variable,  are  at  the 

maximum Fes.     15 .  .  f    3 

1,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves "      70. .  •' U 

Manual  labor  of  two  persons  during  40  days "    160.  .  "  32 

Warming  and  lighting "      10. .  "    2 

Cells  for  cocoons,  and  incidental  expenses.. "        5. .  "    1 

Total..  Fes.  260..  f  52 


The  fresh  cocoons  are  now  worth  at  least  eight 
francs  the  kilo.  It  would  ]>e  sufficient  to  obtain 
32  kilo.'s  for  every  1,000  kilo.'s  of  leaves  to  pay 
the  disbursements,  and  if  the  gatherings  yield,  as 
is  usual  in  normal  conditions,  50  kilo.'s  only,  this 
would  be  a  gain  of,  50  by  8,  400  francs  ($80)  ; 
and  if  one  worked  on  a  basis  of  one  hectare  of 
land  only,  this  would  be  a  gaining  of,  400  by  5, 
2,000  francs  ($400)  in  six  weeks. 

There  were  breeders  in  France,  who,  before  the 
epidemic,  produced  as  many  as  1,000  kilo.'s  of 
cocoons  in  a  single  season. 

TOOLS    OR    STOCK    NECESSARY    TO    TRANSFER    THE 
COCOONS    INTO    RAW    SILK. 

France  and  Italy  are  the  only  countries  which 
have  exhibited  the  apparatus  necessary  to  trans- 
form the  cocoons  into  threads  of  silk.  These  are 
the  most  advanced,  in  the  whole  of  Europe,  in 
this  speciality. 

The  industry  of  Spain,  of  Greece,  of  the  Levant, 
and  of  Russia,  has  imitated,  as  much  as  ])ossible, 
the  means  used  in  France  and  Italy.  Those 
countries  have  not,  however,  been  able  to  arrive 
at  the  perfection  of  their  neighbors.     As  to  the 


Orientals,  tliev  lose  a  pait  <:>f  tlie  advantacres 
wliicli  their  privileo-ed  climate  gives  thein,  in 
regard  to  tlit-  }»r«:Mlucti<  -n  of  silk,  by  insnifieiency 
of  eaif  and  skill  in  details. 

Thf  implements,  properlv  so  eallei  for  eon- 
vciting  the  cocoons,  are  most  simple  in  all  coun- 
tries of  the  worhl.  They  consist  principally  of 
a  basin  and  a  reek  The  basin  is  used  to  receive 
the  cocoons,  and  some  waiin  water  to  soften  the 
gum  < 'f  the  silken-envelope,  so  as  to  set  fi'ee  the 
threads  forming  the  external  silky  layers. 

The  union  of  a  certain  number  of  these  threads, 
forms  the  thread  of  commerce,  known  under  the 
name  of  grege^  c»r  raw  silk. 

The  reel.  1  y  its  r< :>taiy  motion,  winds  off  the 
cocoons. 

lu  the  factories  certain  number  (A  these  wind- 
ing machines  are  piac>-il  side  by  side,  the  inipul. 
siou  lieing  given  tr»  them  V)y  a  single  motive 
power.  Of  coirrse.  the  aiTangement  is  such  that 
the  operator  can.  at  ^vill,  stop  any  one  of  these 
little  C(:)ntrivances,  while  the  others  continue  at 
work.  The  entirety  of  the  operation  is  auto- 
matic, except  that,  in  regaril  to  each  reel,  we  lind 
a  basin,  and  a  woman  to  superintenc^  the  work. 

The  labore  of  the  superintendent  consist : 


59 

1st.  In  the  immersioji  of  the  cocoons  in  the 
warm  water,  until  the  silky  layers  are  sufficiently 
softened. 

2d.  In  the  cleansing,  with  a  species  of  brush 
or  broom,  of  the  first  layers  until  they  become  a 
pure  and  clean  thread. 

8d.  In  the  uniting,  l)y  pressure,  and  twisting 
a  certain  number  of  threads  of  the  cocoons  in 
proportion  to  the  standard  of  raw  silk  intended 
to  be  produced. 

The  grege  thus  formed  by  the  union  of  a 
greater  or  less  numl)er  of  cocoons,  is  passed 
through  an  orifice,  or  drawing  frame,  which  acts 
on  the  winder,  whose  rotation  determines  the 
development  of  the  threads  of  the  cocoons  which 
remain  immersed  on  the  surface  of  the  water  in 
the  basin,  so  that,  in  proportion  as  the  cocoons 
are  wound  off,  the  attendant  is  careful  to  add  a 
new  one,  as  nmcli  to  keep  uj)  the  suj^ply  of 
thread  as  to  maintain  the  regularity  of  the  stan- 
dard. 

The  cocoons  being  conical  from  the  commence- 
ment to  the  end  of  the  winding,  the  grege  would 
have  the  greatest  irregularities  if  the  workman 
did  not  conduct  his  work  so  as  to  connect  the 
strongest;  that  is  to  say,  the  commencement  of 


00 

tlie  thread  of  tlie  new  cpcoon  with  those  which 
are  just  being  exhausted. 

The  threads,  issuing  wet  and  gummy  from  the 
basin,  would  adhere  and  stick  together  in  the 
skein,  if  careful  means  were  not  taken  to  prevent 
it. 

The  jjreventive  consists,  first,  in  preserving  a 
sufficient  distance  between  the  basin  and  the  reel 
to  permit  a  partial  drying ;  and,  second,  in  a 
"guide  thread,"  so  arranged  that  the  transport 
takes  place  by  a  slow  zig-zag  movement,  which 
prevents  the  threads  from  crossing  each  other  at 
the  same  point  at  each  turn,  which  latter  causes 
the  adhesion. 

Some  suggestions  will  assist  us  to  understand 
and  to  obviate  the  difficulties  in  this  branch  of 
the  work. 

The  degree  of  previous  preparation  should  vary 
with  the  duraljility  of  the  silky  couches,  having 
regard  to  the  age,  breed,  and  origin  of  the  co- 
coons. 

If  prepared  too  much,  the  result  would  be  that 
more  silky  matter  would  be  yielded  by  the  first 
layers  than  there  should  be.  This  supei-fluous 
matter  would  be  only  waste,  and  would  possess 
a  value  much  inferior  to  that  of  fine  silk. 


61 

If  the  cocoons  are,  on  the  contrary,  in>juffic-iently 
prepared,  they  present  a  resistance  to  the  winding 
off,  which  causes  the  breaking  of  the  thread,  and 
leads  to  a  new  source  of  waste. 

The  workman  ought  to  possess  great  skill  in 
joining  a  new  thread  to  a  thread  in  work.  He 
should  he  competent  to  select  the  most  opportune 
moment  to  assure  the  regularity  of  the  product, 
so  that  the  trace  of  these  successive  connections 
may  be  imperceptible  to  the  eye,  and  thus  avoid 
knots,  coarseness,  curls,  or  dots. 

Nor  will  rare  skill  in  these  particulars  produce 
the  effect  desired  unless  the  wheel  revolves  with 
a  fixed  and  steady  velocity  of  at  least  five  hun- 
dred metres  per  minute.  Without  this,  the 
thread  instead  of  being  smooth  and  brilliant, 
would  l)e  rough  and  dull. 

A  too  slow  movement  would  not  dress  the 
thread  sufiiciently— clasped,  as  it  is,  very  tightly 
by  its  peculiar  position,  and  fixed  under  the  form 
of  the  figure  8  in  the  layers  of  the  cocoons. 

A  movement  too  slow  causes  those  undulations 
which  give  the  dull  ai)pearance;  while  the 
development  of  the  thread  in  the  straight  line 
by  the  more  rapid  movement  permits  the  reflec- 
tion of  the  light  in  those  perfect  and  determined 


62 

conditions,  wliicli  give  l)nniancy  to  the  finest 
silk. 

We  have  entered  somewhat  at  length  into 
these  details,  because  they  will  assist  us  to 
discover  the  many  different  sides  of  a  question 
of  apparent  simplicity,  and  will  enable  us  the 
better  to  understand  why  the  more  perfect  de- 
velopment of  this  industry  remains  concentrated 
in  the  hands  of  some  populations — and  why 
automatic  labor  has  not  been  able  till  now  to 
bring  about  those  elaborate  and  exquisite  modifi- 
cations in  silk  which  have  been  produced  in  other 
textile  fabrics. 

But  if  convertino;  the  cocoons  into  raw  silk  in 
a  successful  manner  be  due  to  local  circumstances, 
such  is  not  the  case  with  the  industrial  specialties 
which  follow  it,  commencing  with  the  "  throwing" 
or  spinning  of  the  silk. 

Almost  all  European  nations  were  represent^ 
ed  at  the  Exhibition  by  the  different  mechanisms 
employed  in  the  silk  manufacture. 

Let  us  take  a  glance  at  the  machines  of  this 
character.  We  will  first  speak  of  the  machinery 
used  to  sort  and  dress  silk  badly  reeled ;  and  it 
may  be  well  to  enter  into  some  details  on  this 


()8 

subject,  as  it  is  one  tliat  ])articnlai'ly  interests  the 
American  manufacturers. 

Silk  of  the  first  quality  being  actually  as  dear 
as  silver  *  ought  to  be  employed  only  in  the  best 
and  most  perfect  conditions,  especially  when  it  is 
intended  to  produce  fa])rics  like  those  so  much 
admired  at  the  Exhibition,  and  among  others  the 
truly  artistic  silks  of  Lyons. 

Different  means  have  been  devised  to  determine 
the  standard  of  the  silk  thread.  If  it  be  pure,  it 
will  have  the  degree  of  solidity  and  tenacity 
desired.  The  manufacturer  is  particularly  in- 
genious in  constructing  apparatus  to  rectify,  sort, 
and  dress  silks  of  irreo-ular  standards. 

APPARATUS    TO    SORT,  TO    PROVE    AND    TEST   THE 
QUALITIES  AND  PROPERTIES  OF  SILK. 

Silk  thread  has  more  need  to  be  sorted,  or 
numbered,  than  the  threads  of  other  substances. 
The  sorting  or  numbering  is  to  determine  the 
relation  of  the  unity  of  weight  to  the  unity  of 


*  In  spite  of  the  hifjli  price,  and  the  crisis  in  silk  husbandry,  silk 
costs  much  less  than  in  the  time  of  the  Romans.  The  Emjieror 
Aurelian  refused  a  silk  dress  to  his  wife,  assigning  as  a  reason  that 
it  was  too  expensive  a  luxury  even  for  a  Roman  Empress,  silk  then 
being  sold  at  the  price  of  gold,  pound  for  pound. 


64 

length.  For  silk,  the  unity  <  if  weight  i.s  generally 
the  denier  or  fi-action  of  the  ancient  line  of 
Montpellier.  and  the  denier  is  equivalent  to 
grs.  0.5a. 

The  unit  oi  length  is  4< "  i  auntSy  representing 
475  metres,  or  515  yards.  Thus,  when  we  say  a 
silk  of  8-9  deniers,  we  mean  that  a  thread  of  it, 
of  475  metises  of  length,  weighs  fi'om  S  to  9 
deniers.* 

Efforts  are  beino;  ma«le  to  modify  this  standard, 
an<;l  t«:>  substitutt-  the  unit  of  500  metres  for  the 
475  metres,  and  the  milligramme  for  the  denier, 
in  order  to  make  the  system  conform  to  the 
metrical  system. 

The  rectification  of  the  standard  of  silk  seems 
to  lie  mov^  necessary  than  that  of  other  materials, 
because,  tiom  the  manner  silk  is  produced,  we  are 
far  less  sure  to  arrive  at  regularity  tlian  l>y  the 
automatic  process  practiced  for  tlie  conversion  of 
cotton,  wool,  tkrc. 

Besides,  as  silk.  h^Dm  its  natm't-  and  price,  is 
intended  tVtr  the  dearest  kind  of  products,  the 
material  employed  in  its  manufactui*e  ought  to  be 
so  niucli  tlie  more  perfect. 


*  Condition  Pablique  des  Soles  et  des  Laines.     Bureau  de  titrate. 
Decret  du  3  Mai,  1853. 


65 

The  mode  of  titrage^  generally  used  in  all 
periods,  consists  in  winding  off  a  certain  length, 
and  the  determination  of  the  weisfht  of  this 
length.  The  less  it  weighs  the  finer  of  course 
will  the  silk  be.  It  is  evident,  for  example,  that, 
if  500  metres  weigh  one  milligramme,  it  will  he 
one-half  more  fine  than  if  it  weighed  two  milli- 
grammes, supposing,  always,  that  its  hygrometric 
and  thermometric  condition  does  not  chancre 
during  the  operations.  The  same  unit  of  length 
will  weigh  more  if  it  contains  humidity  than  if 
perfectly  dry. 

The  public  establishments  of  Europe,  to  ascer- 
tain the  condition  of  silk,  have  for  their  specific 
object  to  determine,  in  an  exact  manner,  the  real 
state  of  the  silk,  its  degree  of  humidity,  and  the 
absolute  weight  of  this  same  foreign  matter,  as  if 
the  silk  were  perfectly  dry. 

Establishments  of  this  kind,  it  is  well  known 
exist  in  the  principal  manufacturing  centers  of  the 
trade  in  silk  and  wool. 

They  generally  operate  under  the  direction  of 
the  various  Chambers  of  Commerce. 

These  means  of  control  offer  a  great  security  to 
business,  but  unhappily  they  can  do  nothing  to 
vei'ify  or  establish  the  regularity  of  the  threads. 


66 

Tlie  titrage  gives,  in  effect,  only  the  relation 
between  tlie  weight  and  the  length,  but  indicates 
nothing  as  to  the  homogenity  of  the  thread. 
Each  determinate  length  of  a  skein  may  have 
identical  weight  without  the  thread  being  regular. 
For  example,  if  a  skein  of  10,000  metres  presents 
an  equal  titre  or  standard,  for  each  1,000  metres, 
that  would  not  demonstrate  that  upon  this  length 
there  may  not  be  parts  alternately  coarse  and 
fine. 

This  effect  happens  much  more  frequently  with 
the  silks  that  are  poorly  worked  on  account  of 
their  low  relative  price. 

Some  sellers  in  China,  Jaj^an,  and  the  Levant, 
strive,  with  great  persistency,  to  ascertain  and 
rectify  these  irregularities  of  thread  by  the 
windings  off.  During  this  process,  when  the  eye 
discovers  the  defects,  they  are  removed  by  the 
hand;  but  this  is  a  slow,  expensive  operation, 
and  anything  but  sure. 

The  Swiss  Exhibition  contained  an  automatic 
apparatus  which  arrives  much  more  efficiently 
and  economically  at  the  result  sought  for. 


67 


THE     SILK     SORTING     APPARATUS     OF     G.    HONNEGER, 
SWITZERLAND. 

This  maeliine  receives,  ou  tlie  one  part,  a  series 
of  skeins  of  silk.  To  each  skein,  correspond  a 
niiml)er  of  l^ol)l)ins  or  reels,  equal  to  that  of  the 
varied  l)iilk  supposed  to  l)e  contained  in  the 
skein. 

The  solution  of  the  problem  consists  in  col- 
lecting on  each  ho1)bin,  thread  of  the  same  fine- 
ness. Let  us  suppose  five  bobbins,  from  No,  1  to 
No.  5.  Each  will  receive  the  portion  of  thread 
of  the  litre  for  which  it  shall  have  been  desig- 
nated. For  this  purpose,  the  thread  which  is 
rendered  from  the  skein  to  the  bol)1jins,  is  guided 
automatically  by  a  mechanism  for  gauging,  ex- 
tremely sensitive,  and  so  arranged  that  the  grege, 
or  raw  silk  in  passing,  acts  upon  a  lever  which 
directs  the  silk  upon  the  proper  bobl)in.  The 
variation  in  the  Inilk  of  the  product  is  the  point 
of  departure  in  the  variation  of  the  guide-lever, 
which  directs  the  thread  to  the  reel  proper  to 
receive  it. 

A  glance  at  the  working  of  tliis  ap}):iiatus, 
enables  us  to  understand  it  better  than  would 
the  most  elaborate  description. 


68 

By  tlie  emplo}Tuent  of  this  machine,  the  cheap 
silk  of  the  East  can  hereafter  find  still  more, 
extensive  applications,  and  contribute  to  a  new 
development  in  silk  industry. 

AJS^    APPARATUS    TO    TEY    THREADS,    BY    PROF.   ALCAN. 

Another  apparatus  of  gi'eat  utility  was  exhib- 
ited by  Professor  Alcan,.in  the  French  section. 
It  is  an  instrument  of  rare  precision,  very  simple, 
not  expensive,  and  works  with  great  facility. 
Its  object  is  to  test  the  tenacity  and  elasticity  of 
filaments  and  threads,  and  to  determine  the 
degree  of  tension  most  suitable  to  be  employed 
on  any  given  thread. 

The  mechanism  of  this  instrument,  though  not 
at  all  complicated,  has  been  explained  in  detail, 
with  its  applications,  by  the  inventor,  in  several 
works  very  popular  in  France,  particularly  in  his 
treatise  upon  the  textile  arts,  one  of  which  is 
entitled  a  treatise  "  On  Cotton  Labor,"  and  the 
other  on  the  "  Manufactui*e  of  Wool." 

These  works  of  M.  Michel  Alcan,  Professor  of 
the  Conservatoire  Imperiale  des  Arts  et  Metiers^ 
de  Pari.%  are  to  be  obtained  V)y  the  publisher,  J. 
Baudry,  Paris. 


(59 

We  name  these  works,  l)ecause  they  give  a 
greater  amount  of  information  upon  the  produc- 
tion of  the  raw  material,  and  upon  the  progress 
of  this  industry,  than  any  other  works  within 
our  knowledge. 

Near  this  machine,  at  the  Exhil^ition,  is  another 
apparatus,  called  Experimentateur-Phwsodyna- 
mique^  to  prove  threads ;  and  also  a  new  machine 
to  prepare  and  open  cotton  before  the  ginning; 
both  the  production  of  Professor  Alcan.  This 
eminent  engineer  has  made,  as  we  have  seen,  a 
special  study  of  the  industrial  questions,  which 
are  of  such  vast  importance  to  the  American 
people. 

IMPLEMENTS     AND     APPARATUS     USED     IN     SILK 
THROWING. 

The  machines  for  Silk  Throioing^  seen  at  the 
Exhibition,  have  remained,  as  far  as  fundamental 
principles  are  concerned,  in  the  same  general  con- 
dition wherein  they  were  at  the  origin  of  auto- 
matic industry ;  but  they  have  been  improved  in 
their  details,  and  in  the  harmony  of  their  ex- 
ecution. 

The  Swiss  manufacturers,   especially,  have  ex- 


70 

hiliited  a  remarkal:>le  collection  of  implement>  in 
this  department. 

The  assoitment.  as  thus  exposed,  and  which 
are  employed  in  the  l>est  factories,  consists: 

1st.  Of  a  series  of  "  tavdh^r  to  wind,  clean, 
and  equalize  the  threads  during"  tht-ir  automatic 
windincf  otf. 

2d.  Of  an  ap]iaratus  to  unite  and  doul:>le  the 
thi'eads,  with  a  mechanism  fjr  instantly  stop- 
ping the  machine  whenever  a  tlirea<l  lireaks. 

3d.  Of  a  machine  to  give  the  tii>t  twist  to  the 
doubled  threads  in  the  direction  determined,  for 
the  production  of  the  tram  or  wiiof 

4th.  Of  a  second  machine  to  retwist  together, 
two  threads  already  twisted  separately,  thus  pro- 
ducing' the  organzine. 

Tlie  r.l>ject  of  these  machines,  so  simple  in  their 
constructiijn.  i-  to  oVitain.  crm^-tantly.  an  evenly 
twister!  product :  that  is  t'  >  say.  worked  in  -uch  a 
manner,  that  each  imit  of  lenu'th  receive-  exactly 
the  same  numl  ler  of  turns. 

Xow.  the  realization  of  this  ol>iect  was  n-it 
effected  without  encountering"  difficulties,  which 
have  l>een  completely  -urmounte<i  l>y  the  Swiss 
and  French  mechanicians,  judging  as  well  fi-'.m 
the  machines,  a^  fi-om  the  magnificent  threads  ex- 
hiljited. 


71 

This  class  of  iiuicliineiy  is  the  more  advuiR-ed, 
because  the  machines  to  convert  silk,  are,  of  all 
others,  the  cheapest;  and  this  results  directly 
from  their  greater  simplification. 

The  "  throwing"  the  threads  of  silk,  has  seve- 
ral objects  in  view. 

1st.  It  gives  them  a  sufficient  resistance  to 
admit  of  their  being  boiled  in  soapy  water  to 
remove  the  gummy  matter,  so  that  they  ma}- 
receive  the  dye  better,  and  give  greater  brilliancy 
than  if  they  had  remained  in  the  raw  state. 

2d.  By  the  ^^wgumming,  the  silk  acquires 
the  desired  suppleness  of  silks  called  "  holledj'' 
whilst,  if  it  retained  its  gum,  it  would  be  stiff, 
and  rough — like  the  silks  employed  in  "  bareges," 
for  example. 

3d.  The  "throwing"  the  silk  is  intended 
to  give  a  certain  peculiar  appearance  to  the 
threads,  which  partly  determines  what  is  called 
the  grain  of  the  stuff. 

Moreover,  when  these  threads  are  intended  for 
brilliant  tissues,  such  as  satins,  the  two  succes- 
sive torsions  which  constitute  the  organzine,  are 
combined  in  such  a  manner  that  the  Imt^  ^vhicli 
will  be  the  most  apparent,  should  have  the  least 
twist,  in  order  to  preserve  the  l)rillancy  of  the 
stuff. 


72 

The  ooml  »mation  is  invert  eel  if  tlie  ol)ject  be  to 
make  threads  for  tajf'etas,  Gros-grain,  Gros  de 
Juijjle-s,  etc. 

The  work  of  silk-throwiug,  1  >y  the  combinatiou 
of  the  varied  conditions  it  requires,  necessitates 
the  possession  of  such  accurate  knowledge,  and 
the  use  of  such  rare  skill  as  to  constitute  it  a 
special  ait 

sorrLTAXEors   eeelixg  aintd    theowestg. 

It  has  been  fi'equently  attempted,  and  is  some- 
times still  sought,  to  unite  in  one  single  opera- 
tion the  winding  off  the  cocoons  and  the  throwing  * 
of  the  silk.  Notwithstanding  that,  for  a  long 
time  the  solution  of  this  prol»lem,  which  appa- 
rentlv  presents  no  serious  difficulty,  has  been 
considered  the  Philosopher's  stone  of  silk  indus- 
trv,  the  effort  has  not  l)een  abandoned.  Still,  in 
this  department,  as  certain  mechanism  exhibited 
by  the  Italians  and  French,  attest,  the  problem 
offers  i»ut  little  interest  or  encouragement,  as  for 
example  : 

To  wind  olf  the  cocoons,  and  twist  the  thread 
at  the  same  time,  the  raw  silk  or  grege,  in  issuing 
fi-om  the    basins,  instead  of  being  passed  on  to 


73 

the  reels  by  one  simple  inoveiiieiit,  is  rolled 
around  bobbins,  having  a  rotaiy  motion,  in  order 
to  give  torsion  to  the  threads. 

It  is  necessary  to  direct  two  of  them  together 
upon  one  bobbin  to  produce  the  tram;  conse- 
quently, the  intermediate  operations  are  all  sup- 
pressed and  condensed  into  one  single  process ; 
and  hence  an  apparent  economy;  but,  in  fact, 
this  economy  disappears,  and  the  new  mode  be- 
comes comparatively  expensive,  because  the  pro- 
duction is  considerably  reduced,  and  because  it 
requires  a  much  larger  personal  attendance. 

A  few  figures  will  suffice  to  demonstrate  this. 
To  produce  the  grege^  the  velocity  most  suitable 
is  such,  that  one  workwoman  throws  out,  at  least, 
a  length  of  500  metres  of  thread  a  minute. 

When  the  thread  is  twisted  at  the  same  time, 
only.  500  revolutions  are  given  per  metre  to  it  in 
the  majority  of  cases.  Suppose  a  velocity  of  8000 
revolutions  to  the  spindles,  only  6  metres  will  be 
produced  instead  of  500  a  minute. 

It  is  true  a  workwoman  can  superintend  four 
threads  instead  of  one,  but  it  will  still  be  neces- 
sary to  employ  twenty  times  as  many  spinners  in 
this  case  as  when  the  production  of  grege  was  in 
question. 


74 

Xow  tlii-  augineutatiou  of  expense  is  much 
more  considerable,  than  the  economy  realized  by 
the  >in  n  iT'ession  of  the  intermediate  operations. 
But  ::--  i_jst  serious  difficulty  consists  in  the  im- 
perfection of  the  results.  The  slowness  of  motion 
in  the  simultaneous  twisting  and  throwing,  does 
not  permit  a  suitable  development  to  be  given  to 
the  thread,  nor  a  sufficient  tension  for  the  entire 
unwinding,  which  causes  the  dark  aspect  of 
the  product  already  spoken  of 

In  a  word,  l:»y  the  combination  of  dilt'erent 
o]>erations,  the  workman  is  not  able  to  bestow 
upon  his  task  that  care  in  cleansing  and  purifying 
which  is  j>erfoi'med  by  the  automatic  system  and 
by  hand,  as  it  exists  in  careful  silk  throwing. 

Thus,  the  apparent  progress,  so  enticing  in 
appearance,  demands  an  expense  much  more  con- 
siderable than  that  of  the  separate  operations 
mentioned,  and  can  only  give  inferior  products  of 
inconsiderable  value. 

In  order  that  they  may  be  forewarned,  these 
facts  are  worthy  of  special  notice  by  the  American 
people,  who  are  only  Ijeginning  to  turn  theii" 
attention  to  this  branch  of  industry. 

However,  all  new  attempts  may  reach  ultimate 
succe^ :  and  it'  it  be  true,  that  for  beautiful  nor- 


75 

mal  products,  the  simultaneous  twistiug  aiul 
throwing  must  be  rejected,  there  are  cases  where 
they  may  be  employed,  and  indeed  where  they 
begin  to  be  employed,  with  a  certain  success,  as 
for  example,  when  the  cocoons  are  of  an  inferior 
quality,  and  difficult  to  wind  off,  such  as  double 
cocoons,  so  that  the  operator  in  twisting  them 
directly,  can  at  the  best,  obtain  silk  of  only  an  in- 
ferior grade,  fit  only  for  working  common 
"  cordonnet,"  (braid,  binding,  twist,  lace,  <fec.) 
In  such  case,  the  simultaneous  process  may 
be  advantageously  used.  And,  indeed,  cocoons 
wound,  and  doubled,  and  twisted  simultaneously 
in  order  to  make  directly  from  them  certain 
products  intended  for  passementei'ies,  or  trim- 
mings, have  no  need  of  such  careful  superin- 
tendence as  would  be  required  in  regard  to  the 
same  cocoons,  when  intended  to  produce  the  more 
beautiful  silks.  A  single  ])erson  can  attend  a 
greater  number  of  ends  (or  Jtouts)^  inasmuch  as 
these  coarse  articles  are  far  less  liable  to  break. 

There  are  then  two  conditions  which  2^ermit 
the  employment  of  the  simultaneous  system  with 
advantage. 

1st.  When  the  object  to  be  attained  is  not  an 
imperfect    gr^ge,     l)ut     a    cordonnet     for    trim- 


76 

miug^.    (;>f  a    siiifieiently   l'*:":'!!    quality,   and  'at  a 
price  Fflatively  liigli.     And. 

-d.  In  ea>«es  where  the  expense  of  handdabor 
is  considfiably  reducti-d  in  consequence  of  the 
character  and  de-tiny  of  the  special  pr':iduct.  one 
person  under  >uch  circumstances,  beino-  able  to 
produce  veiy  much  m-^re  than  he  otherwise  would 
bv  the  ordinaiw  process. 

PEODUCTIO^-    AXD    UTILITY    OF    SILK    WA>TE. 

The  different  transfonnations  underkfone  by 
silk,  up  to  this  point,  and  tho>e  it  has  still  to  im- 
dergo,  until  it  anives  at  the  state  of  "  stuff."  occa- 
sions "  wa-te." 

This  waste  presents  itself  in  different  states. 
Tliose  resulting-  fi'oin  the  operations  which  precede 
the  torsii;»n.  offer  parcels  nf  raw  lilament>  {a/irege) 
not  t^^dsteil.  known  by  the  name  of  "  fiisons,''  or 
waste  fi'om  reelin^r  cocoon-. 

There  are  frison^  of  different  qualities,  ac- 
cording" to  the  period  of  jireparation  given  to 
them,  or  acconlinLf  as  they  proceed  fi^:»m  r-nrooris 
d'-  oraiK*"^.  <">r  /'^'/vv.s-.  In  thi-  case  the  wa»te 
is  more  particularly  desi^mated  by  the  name 
G-nl^tU.  fi'om  which  are  made  coarse  silks, 
called  fantaU-it,  chapp&<,  tire. 


77 

The  waste  proceeding  from  the  different  mani- 
pulations, commencing  with  the  winding  off  of 
the  grege  in  the  throwing,  and  the  operations 
of  weaving,  is  generally  composed  of  twisted 
ends,  and  is  known  by  the  name  of  hourre. 

These  two  sorts  of  (Uhris  have  been  Ions 
utilized.  They  are  divided,  cleansed,  /mgummed, 
and  then  equalized  by  cutting,  to  prepare  them 
for  twisting,  as  we  have  already  said.  But  there 
is  another  kind  of  waste,  long  neglected,  and 
which  has  commenced  to  be  utilized  only  since 
the  very  high  price  of  silk,  namely  the  chiffons^ 
or  rags  of  this  material.  Establishments  of  this 
kind  are  very  rare.  One  exists  in  England,  one 
in  France,  and  a  third  in  the  United  States.  We 
have  no  knowledge  of  any  other. 

As  to  the  winding  of  waste,  we  must  limit  our- 
selves to  pointing  out  a  certain  progress,  of  which 
threads  of  this  kind  have  been  the  object,  as  well 
in  France  as  in  Switzerland. 


NEW    THREADS    OF    SILK    BOURRE. 

We  have  seen  in  the  show  cases  of  the  Exhibi- 
tion of  these  two  countries,  threads  from  hourre 
(a  sort  of  "shoddy"),  which  rival,  in  thc^  beauty 


78 

of  their  appearance,  the  most  lustrous  silks,  and 
at  one  half  the  price. 

These  results  are  obtained  by  attention  to  de- 
tails in  the  manufacture.  All  these  operations 
have  attained  remarkable  precision,  and  have  been 
executed  conformably  to  the  indications  of  sci- 
ence, and  by  the  application  of  certain  prepara- 
tions under  special  conditions.  When  the 
threads  have  been  produced  with  the  greatest 
care,  from  waste  well  purified,  well  combed,  per 
fectly  prepared  and  spun,  the  workman  then  pro- 
ceeds to  apply  a  thin  layer,  or  coating  of  warm 
gelatine,  or  isinglass,  to  the  thread  when  stretched 
and  in  motion. 

The  drying  and  ulterior  clievillage  completes 
the  work,  and  imparts  to  the  products  that 
peculiar  brilliancy  so  much  esteemed,  and  that 
elasticity  so  indispensable  to  manufactures  of  this 
kind. 

The  unusual  care  and  attention  brought  to  the 
working  up  of  "  waste "  have  ])een  necessitated, 
as  we  have  said,  Ijy  the  rise  in  the  price  of  this 
material.  It  is  not  many  years  since  the  waste, 
which  at  present  sells  from  12  to  15  francs,  was 
worth  only  4  or  5  fi'ancs  the  kilo. 


79 

This  fact  alone  is  sufficient  to  justify  the  efforts 
made  to  utilize  waste  of  e\'er)'  description. 

Formerly  certain  sweepings  of  threads  were 
thrown  on  the  waste  heap,  ^\'hicll  the  workmen 
knew  not  how  to  unravel.  But,  for  the  disinte_ 
gration  of  these,  the  most  ingenious  and  effecti\'e 
machines  have  been  devised. 

These  machines  take  the  rag,  or  piece  of  silk  at 
its  entrance,  and  restore  it  at  its  exit,  in  the  form 
of  filaments  carefully  classed,  in  lengths  and 
fineness  proper  to  be  submitted  to  the  machines 
for  decomposing  the  ehiffon^  or  rag. 

The  inventors  have  not  exhibited  these  machines 
from  fear  of  imitation  by  countries  where  inven- 
tions are  not  protected  by  patents.  Prussia  and 
Switzerland  are  in  this  condition,  and  they  are 
precisely  the  countries  which  would  derive  the 
greatest  advantage  from  their  use. 

DYEING    AND    SURCHARGE    OF   THREADS. 

We  have  but  little  to  say  on  the  dyeing  of  silk 
so  brilliant  in  itself,    and  advanced  to  such   an 
extraordinary  degree  of  perfection.     No  kind  of 
material  offers  more  splendor  in  this  respect. 

The  invention  of  those  colors  derived  from  coal, 


80 

lias  principally  contributed  to,  or  caused  tliis  revo- 
lution in  tlie  art  of  dyeing.  The  new  materials 
have  permitted  dyers  to  obtain  colors  of  unpre- 
cedented splendor,  combining  sliades  of  marvellous 
variety,  witli  extreme  delicacy.  Looking  througli 
the  Exposition,  we  might  almost  say,  in  the 
presence  of  the  results  obtained  in  this  direction, 
there  is  now  nothing  impossible.  Still,  close  by 
the  side  of  products  so  admirable  in  respect  to 
dyeing,  we  saw,  on  the  contrary,  much  still  left  to 
be  accomplished.  We  refer  to  the  attempts  made 
for  some  time  to  gild  and  silver  threads  of  silh. 
Some  specimens  of  silk  of  this  kind  exhibited, 
denote  processes  still  in  a  crude  state,  which  do 
not  yet  supply  any  product  capable  of  being 
used  advantageously. 

Another  branch  of  dyeing,  is,  on  the  contrary, 
in  a  very  advanced  state — sometimes  too  advanced. 
Reference  is  here  made  to  the  means  used  to 
surcharge  silks,  so  as  to  make  them  gain,  if  one 
wished  it,  as  much  as  one  hundred  per  cent,  upon 
their  normal  weight. 

This  process  has  an  honest  origin,  and  some- 
times its  applications  are  honest;  but  it  is  not 
infrequently  used  for  purposes  of  gross  decep- 
tion.    For  example,  when  the  threads  and  tissues 


81 

are  sold  by  len^jtli  or  l)y  mirface^  these  surcharyeH 
have  no  other  result  than  to  ij^ive  a  certain 
appearance  to  the  article,  while  the  thickness  of 
the  tissue  plays  no  other  part  here  than  that 
which  frequently  results  from  the  stiffness  of 
stuffs  of  this  soi't,  without  any  detriment  to  the 
huyer.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  Avhen  the  threads, 
and  even  the  tissues,  are  sold  by  weighty  it  makes 
the  purchaser  pay  the  price  of  silk  for  a  con- 
siderable quantity  of  foreign  matter,  which  some- 
times has  not  a  fiftieth  part  the  value  of  silk. 

Nevertheless,  the  authors  of  these  operations, 
whose  main  object  is  to  give  increased  weight  to 
silk,  are  tolerated,  and  even  rewarded,  at  the 
Exhibition,  under  the  pretext  that  they  therel)y 
aid  in  meeting  foreign  competition. 

These  are  specious  pretexts  which  ought  to  Ije 
made  known. 

As  those  efforts  for  facilitating  the  best  em- 
plo}Tnent  of  waste,  are  worthy  to  be  pointed  out 
and  recommended,  so,  on  the  contrary,  these 
reprehensible  i)ractices  are  to  be  deplored  and 
condemned. 
6 


82 


THE    WEAYI>'a  OF    STUFFS   OF    0^'E    COLOE,    VELVETY, 
OR    PILED    FABRICS. 

We  observed  at  tlie  exliibition  some  plain  silks 
made  in  France,  Switzerland,  and  Xortliem  Ger- 
manv,  leaving  nothing  in  tins  department  to 
desire. 

The  result  proves,  tliat  if  the  automatic  work- 
ing of  plain  silk  goods  be  not  yet  general,  it 
results  fi-om  special  causes  in  the  organization 
of  the  fabrics,  rather  than  fi'om  difficulties  in  the 
execution  of  the  work :  for  the  perfect  specimens 
herein  before  mentioned,  were  exhibited  -^vith  the 
special  notice  that  the  weaving  was  done  by 
motive  power. 

AVe  examined  with  care  the  looms  l)y  which 
this  result  has  been  attained.  Looms  of  this 
kind  were  exhibited  in  the  English,  French,  and 
Swiss  sections  of  the  Expositioru  The  two  latter 
nations  have  more  especially  applied  themselves 
to  the  constiTiction  of  looms  intended  for  silk 
weavinor,  whilst  the  English  looms,  being  adapted 
to  more  general  use  in  the  weaving  of  almost 
eveiw  kind  of  fabrics,  are  not  as  well  litted  to 
the  weavingf  of  silk,  which  demands  particular 
care  and  special  adaptation. 


83 

The  Swiss  uud  Fieiicli  also  makt'  the  vantttes 
for  the  tram,  the  oardmoirs  destined  to  dis])ose 
the  ckuine,  and  the  arrangements  for  raisino- 
and  advancing  it  on  the  loom.  They  thus  have 
an  appearance  peculiarly  their  own.  Competent 
men  quickly  observe,  that,  cei-tain  alterations, 
which  influence  only  the  proportions  and  rela. 
tions  between  the  different  means  generally 
used  in  all  looms  of  this  kind,  are  in  this  case 
important  modifications. 

These  changes  are  especially  employed  in 
utilizing  the  peculiar  elasticity  of  silk,  so  as  to 
obtain  fi*om  it  the  regularity  which  the  inter- 
lacing of  threads  in  silk  goods  demands,  and 
also  to  be  better  able  to  secure  cleanness, 
purity,  and  brilliancy. 

By  the  side  of  the  machines  and  aj)j)aratus  of 
which  we  have  just  spoken,  was  exhibited  a 
French  machine  to  polish  automatically  these 
same  stuffs. 

This  machine,  alike  ingenious  and  eflic-acious, 
possesses  all  the  advantages  of  hand  ])olishing, 
acting  with   only   a   little  polish   and    in    })ai'ts. 

All  these  machines  have  great  value  and 
interest  for  American  industry  ;  and  it  is 
the    same    with    the    automatic    looms    for    the 


84 

mauiilactiire  of  velvets,  stuifs,  such  as  plush 
for   hats,    «fec. 

These  automatic  looms  may  l>e  arrauofed  in 
two  classes.  The  one  class  works  two  pieces 
at  one  time  ;  the  other  only  one.  Both  have 
their  special  object  and  employment.  The 
loom  which  makes  two  pieces  at  the  same  time 
is  furnished  ^vith  three  ehaines  superposed,  the 
one  al)Ove  the  other,  at  suitalJe  distances. 
The  middle  chaine  is  intended  to  supplv  the 
thread,  which  l»y  the  coupe  ^  or  cutting, 
forms  the  velvet  surface.  This  middle  chaine^ 
or  chaine  de  poil„  has  a  much  greater  length 
than  that  of  the  other  two.  It  is  proportional 
to  the  length  of  the  piece  multiplied  l>y  the 
height  of  the  duvet,  and  by  the  number  of 
houcJes   or   loops   necessary    to    each    of  them. 

The  interlacements  in  the  weaving  of  these 
three  cJiaines  are  such  that  they  form  two 
toiles,  or  fabrics,  between  which  is  interlaced 
a  certain  IteigJd  of  the  thread  of  the  chaine. 
This  height  is  exactly  and  automatically  sep- 
arated in  two  by  the  middle  one,  in  order 
to  supply  the  velvet  siuiace  to  each  piece, 
which,  thus  separated,  is  then  rolled  upon  a 
roller    as   fast    as   this    section    is    worked. 


Various  articles  in  silk,  and  especially  the 
most  beautiful  plushes  for  hats,  are  executed 
in    this   manner. 

This  system  is  more  particularly  suited  to 
plain  articles  wherein  the  duvet,  without  the 
intervention  of  the  haguettes,  or  small  rings,  em- 
ployed in  hand-Aveaving,  necessitates  a  certain 
height,  and  can  be  employed  to  manufacture 
faconnees,  or  figured  stuifs,  and  very  smooth 
velvets. 

The  automatic  work  in  smooth  and  fine  velvets 
has  yet  only  reached  the  extent  of  weaving  one 
piece  at  a  time.  The  operation  is  eftected  by  the 
insertion  of  irons  to  determine  the  houcles  or 
loops,  which  remain  closed  in  the  work  of  velvet 
frise. 

The  iron  is  withdrawn  when  a  certain  number 
of  houcles  or  loops  are  fixed  by  interlacements. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  the  object  is  to  make  vel- 
vet coupe,  it  is  effected  by  cutting  at  the  to])  each 
of  these  loops  or  houcles. 

Thus,   to    the    ordinary  functions  of  weaving- 
machines,  it  is  necessary  in  the  weaving  of  vel- 
vets to  add  combinations  which  place   and  witli 
draw  hagnettes  to  form  the  fris/ne  on  a\  liidi  these 
})(i(l>i('1f<s  are  ])laced,  and   act  as  a   knife  or  plane 


86 

to  cut  tliese  same  loops  in  order  to  produce  cut 
velvet. 

Tliese  problems  have  been  solved  in  tlie  most 
successful  manner  by  the  looms  at  the  Expo- 
sition. 

It  need  hardly  be  suggested,  that  a  personal 
examination  of  the  machines  above-mentioned, 
would  give  a  far  clearer  idea  of  their  structure 
and  mode  of  operation,  than  could  the  most  elab- 
orate description.  The  same  may  l)e  said  of  the 
machines  hereinafter  noticed. 

If,  from  plain  articles  we  pass  to  striped  and 
plaid  silks,  in  the  execution  of  which  Scotch  in- 
dustr}^  has  long  excelled,  we  shall  encounter 
some  difficulty  and  embarrassment  in  choosing 
from  among  the  nimierous  automatic  looms,  now 
nuiltiplied  to  a  marvelous  extent,  permitting  the 
frame  to  change  spontaneously  a  greater  or  less 
number  oi  trans  of  different  colors.  The  numer- 
ous looms  of  this  kind  exhibited,  demonstrate  the 
activity  and  necessity  of  research  in  this  direc- 
tion, and  also  the  eneroy  with  which  science  and 
skill  are  employed  on  all  those  problems  whose 
solution  can  lead  to  utility  and  economy. 

It  is  not  only  in  articles  of  an  ordinary  charac- 
ter that   this  tendency  is  observable.     It   is  no 


87 

less  remarkable  in  silks  of  the  richest  devices, 
and  especially  in  the  most  beautiful  articles  of 
Lyons,  adapted  as  well  for  dresses  as  for  fur- 
niture. 

THE    WEAVING    OF    GRAND    FACONNis. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  despite  the  increasing 
clearness  of  silk  thread,  these  silks,  so  very  rich 
in  all  the  perfection  of  their  manufacture,  are  not 
sensibly  increased  in  price. 

Never,  perhaps,  have  the  stuffs  of  Lyons  dis- 
played more  taste  than  now.  Never  have  they 
or  those  of  Tours,  exhibited  greater  beauty  and 
perfection. 

Among  the  silks  for  toilette,  we  remark,  espe- 
cially in  the  facmmeeSj  or  figured  goods,  a  fineness 
and  neatness  that  seemed  almost  impossible  till 
now,  and  which  denote  a  superiority  to  which 
French  industry  alone  has  yet  arrived. 

There  are  also  combinations^  armu/'es,  and 
moires,  as  the  l)asis  of  tissues,  demonstrating  tliat 
there  no  longer  exist  difficulties  in  tliis  direction. 

It  was  sufficient  to  traverse  the  gallery  of 
French  machines  to  be  fully  inquesscd  with 
these  views. 

Ingenuity  has  l>een  tasked  in  a  thousand  ditlrr- 


88 

f  ut  ways  to  simplify  tlie  elements  of  the  Jacquard 
loom,  and  render  it  capaltle  of  jM-rulucmg  still 
more  extensive  results. 

It  secures  economy  in  tlif  use  of  tlif  cards, 
necessitated  by  tliis  manufactuie.  1  'y  diminisMng 
the  sui-faoe  of  holes,  or  froiis,  and  <:»t  the  folds 
whicli  sepanue  them,  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
make  them  contain  m« at-  in  a  givt-n  siu'facf. 

Besides  the  cards  t-ntirely  dispeu>eii  with,  and 
replaced  by  a  simple  sheet  of  paper,  fiuthfr  on 
tht-re  is  an  ingenious  combination  which  permits 
the  same  card  to  serve  twice  successively,  and  to 
produce  two  different  effects,  and  enables  it  also 
to  economise  at  least  50  per  cent,  of  cards. 

Thfie  are  savings  of  another  kind  in  the  auto- 
matic fxecution  of  stitching,  due  t' ■  tht-  intr-'due- 
tiou  of  an  additional  organ  inT<j  tlif  tiame  to 
raake  faconnees  U  hattant  hrocheur. 

Blonde,  an  article  in  silk  imitating  lace,  is  also 
exhil»ited  by  ]x)th  England  anil  France.  This 
article,  made  automatically,  and  which  for  years 
has  displayed  the  most  elegant  designs,  now  juv- 
sents  devices  the  most  capricious  and  seducing. 

These  results  are  attained  1  }  the  combination 
of  the  net  lace  frame  with  the  })nnciple  of  tht- 
Jacquard  frame,  skillfully  modified  in  it-  a]i]ili- 
catious. 


89 

Until  now,  manufacturers  were  content  to  vary 
tlie  designs  and  multiply  the  figures ;  and  hence 
a  single  l(X)m  of  this  kind  produced  with  con- 
siderable economy  hundred  of  handes  at  once. 
But  that  was  not  sufficient.  The  industry  of 
Calais,  (the  center  of  the  Tidle  and  Blonde  trade 
of  France)  had  just  created  an  article  essentially 
different  fixini  ordinary  lace  or  blonde.  It  was 
ol)tained  by  the  interlacement  of  threads  acting 
exclusively  in  the  direction  of  the  cliaine  in  the 
tissues  a  maille^  to  which  we  have  alluded.  A 
transversal  thread  of  the  tram  made  a  part  of 
the  tissue,  the  physiognomy  of  ^vllich,  and  the 
mode  of  interlacing  being  thus  essentially  modi- 
fied. The  modifications,  proceeding  fi'om  an 
additional  cross  thread,  could  l)e  carried  upon 
the  riseaux  from  the  l)ottom  and  those  of  the 
faconne  at  the  same  time. 

A  ncAv  and  vast  field  thus  o})ens  to  the  spe- 
ciality of  reticular  tissues,  already  so  rich  in  fancy 
articles.  Perhaps,  also,  this  kind  of  stuff  will 
pass  fi'om  silk  to  cotton,  and  to  other  substances, 
and  ultimately  give  results  analagous  to  those  of 
a  species  of  gauze,  wliich  is  produced,  if  not  with 
great  difficulty,  at  least  with  great  slowness,  and 
at  considerable  cost. 


90 

The  new  article  may  probably  serve  as  tissues 
for  sifting  flour,  and  all  kinds  of  plaster  sub- 
stances. 

The  mecbauical  means  by  wliicli  tliese  results 
are  attained,  and  many  others,  into  tlie  details  of 
wliicli  we  cannot  now  enter,  combining  with  the 
use  in  a  greater  and  constantly  increasing  extent, 
of  cheap  silks,  demonstrates  a  gratifying  pro- 
o-ress  in  this  direction. 

SILK    EIBBONS. 

We  haye  only  spoken  briefly  of  ribbons  fi'om 
a  technical  point  of  yiew,  because  this  industry 
was  represented  at  the  Exhibition  by  but  one 
loom — that  for  velvet  sent  by  Mr.  Joyot  June. 

As  to  the  products,  they  were  exhibited  for 
the  most  part  collectively,  by  the  manufactui*ers 
of  Saint  Etienne,  Basle,  Alsace,  Prussia  and 
other  countries. 

Saint  Etienne  contains  90,000  inhabitants,  and 
with  its  suburbs,  gives  employment  to  23,622 
persons,  of  which  the  greater  part  are  women 
and  girls.  It  has  15,000  looms.  According  to 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  value  of  its 
productions    for    the  year    1806   was   60,00(»,000 


91 

francs,  ($12,000,000)  five-sixths  of  wliicli  ^vas  dis 
posed  of  to  the  United  States,  England,  and  to 
the  City  of  Paris. 

The  Canton  of  Basle,  with  a  population  of 
65,000  inhabitants,  has  about  6000  looms  for  the 
manufacture  of  ribbons;  in  the  City  of  Basle 
alone,  the  manufacturers,  many  of  whom  are  of 
the  first  order,  employ  from  800  to  400  hands 
each,  while  some  few  employ  a  nuicli  larger  num- 
l)er.  The  United  States  take  the  largest  quantity 
of  these  goods.  Then  comes  England,  whose 
trade  in  Continental  silk  fabrics  has  greatly  aug- 
mented since  the  last  treaty  of  commerce  with 
France. 

It  was  at  Guebwiller,  in  Alsace,  that  steam  was 
first  employed  iki  the  manufacture  of  ribbons. 
One  may  see  there  a  model  ril)l)on  factory,  which 
employs  600  persons,  and  contains  200  looms, 
driven  by  a  steam  engine  of  80  horse  power. 

DEPENDENCE    OF    EUROPEAN     SILK     >IANUFACTURERS 

UPON    THE    EAST,    AND    ITS    RECIPROCAL 

ADVANTAGES. 

In  view  of  the  vast  capital  invested  in  silk 
industry,  and  especially   in  silk  manufactures,  l)y 


92 

leading  European  nations,  and  tlie  gi^eat  niiml>ers 
of  their  people  employed  in  its  prt;>secution,  we 
niav,  in  the  presence  of  the  crises  which  has 
overtaken  their  silk  husbandmen  on  account  of 
the  prevailing  malady,  pertinently  ask,  what 
would  have  been  the  fate  of  the  indtistry,  and 
the  condition  of  its  employes,  had  not  the  ex- 
treme East  been  able  to  supply  them  with  raw 
material  in  quantities  sufficient  to  meet  the 
exigency  i 

And  what  advantages  have  nut  the  nations 
"t  A-ia  derived  jfrom  l>eing  thus  brought  into 
Ci..>er  relations  with  the  more  elevated  and  ad- 
vanced nations  of  Western  Europe  ? 

liotwithstanding  the  relatively  low  price  at 
which  they  can  supply  their  silks,  they  could 
not^  a  quarter  of  a  century  since,  have  anticipated 
so  high  a  price  as  they  are  now  receiving. 

Nor  is  this  the  only  advantage  resulting  to 
these  Oriental  nations  from  this  species  of  traffic 
with  the  silk  manufacturers  of  Europe.  It  will 
teach  them  how  to  bring  their  products  to 
greater  perfection  at  home,  and  will  stimulate 
them  to  prepare  them  with  such  care,  and  l>estow 
upon  them  such  an  amount  of  skilled  labor  as  to 
draw  from  them  all  the  value  and  profit  that 
comport  with  the  excellence  of  their  nature. 


08 

RESUME    AND    CONCLUSION. 

The  inauutacture  of  silk,  as  already  analyzed, 
and  as  it  exists  in  countries  the  most  advanced  in 
the  art,  embraces  seven  special  branches  of  indus- 
try, viz: 

1st.  The  rearing  of  the  silk-worms. 

2d.  The  jUaPwre,  or  reeling  of  the  silk  from 
the  cocoons. 

3d.  The  throwing,  or  spinning  of  the  silk 
thread. 

4th.  The  dyeing  of  the  silk. 

5th.  The  preparation  of  the  silk  threads  for  the 
looms. 

6th.  The  weaving  of  silk  goods. 

7th.  The  spinning  of  waste  silk. 

These  specialties,  although  consequent  and 
dependent  each  upon  the  others,  like  links  in  a 
chain,  can,  nevertheless,  be  practiced  separately, 
as  is  the  case  now  in  some  countries. 

We  have  demonstrated  that  some  of  these 
employments  present  more  difficulties  than 
others,  to  countries,  which,  like  the  United  States, 
have  not  yet  had  sufficient  experience  therein. 

America  can,  however,  ho])e  henceforth  to 
excel  in  these  industries  whenever  she  resolutely 
wills  it,  and   devotes  to  them  that  energy  and 


94 

skill  which  have  placed  her  in  the  first  rank 
amono;  nations  for  certain  of  her  inventions  and 
manufactures. 

Let  her  not  be  disheartened  at  her  efforts  in 
this  branch  of  industry,  already  most  prais- 
worthy;  and  especially  so  in  New  Jersey,  Con- 
necticut, New  York,  Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania 
and  California,  But  let  her  press  on,  and  bring 
to  this  new  enterprise,  that  genius  of  investiga- 
tion and  energy  in  execution,  which  have  at- 
tracted to  her  so  much  attention,  and  attained  for 
her  such  honorable  distinction,  in  the  Universal 
Exhibition  of  1867. 

Concernino;  the  seven  industrial  branches  em- 
ployed  in  the  transformations  of  silk,  four  can, 
from  this  period,  develope  themselves  without 
any  difficulty,  and  soon  take  in  America,  the 
high  position  already  attained  by  cotton  indus- 
try, namely : 

1st.  The  throwing  of  the  silk;  consisting  in 
the  emploj-ment  of  apparatus  more  simple,  and 
less  difficult  to  direct  than  the  greater  part  of  the 
machines  in  the  factories  of  the  United  States. 

As  to  the  raw  material,  it  is  as  easy  for  the 
United  States  as  for  England  to  immediately 
supply  herself  with  raw  silk  in  China,  Japan, 
and  even  in  the  Levant,  and  Lidia. 


95 

It  is  by  no  iiiCciiis  iiiiprohal)!!'  that,  at  no  dist- 
ant day,  New  York  will  become  as  inii)()itant  a 
d^p6t  of  Asiatic  silks  as  London  now  is.  Tliis 
may  be  accomplished,  via  San  Francisco,  tliroii<di 
the  medium  of  the  Pacific  Railway.  The  raw 
material  having  thus  reached  New  York,  will  l)e 
distributed,  not  only  among  our  own  manufac- 
turers, but  portions  doubtless  will  be  exported 
to  foreign  countries. 

Let  the  New  World  take  England  as  an  exam- 
ple in  silk  industry. 

In  less  than  half  a  century  the  silk  manufac- 
ture of  Great  Britain,  (which  does  not  produce 
a  single  pound  of  silk  upon  her  own  soil,)  has 
arrived  at  such  a  degree  of  development,  as  to 
give  employment  to  a  large  amount  of  capital, 
and  to  about  110,000  looms,  and  direct  occupa- 
tion to  some  200,000  persons,  not  including  those 
engaged  in  the  ribbon  and  silk  hosiery  manufac- 
ture, 

2(1.  The  dyeing  of  silk,  already  an  established 
branch  of  American  industry,  needs  only  tlie 
encouragement  to  l)e  derived  from  the  estal)- 
lishment  of  co-operative  l)ranches  to  compete  suc- 
cessfully with  European  skill. 

The    preparatory    processes    of     uiKjumming^ 


96 

cleansing,   and   scouring,  are  very  simple  opera- 
tions, and  can  he  entered  upon  without  delay. 

3d.  As  to  the  regeneration  and  spinning  of 
silky  frasfe  of  all  kinds,  the  United  States  find 
themselves  in  as  good  a  position  as  most  other 
countries,  to  undertake  a  work  of  this  sort,  inas- 
much as  they  possess  equal  facilities  for  procur- 
ing the  >ra-'<te  and  raw  silk. 

AVho  can  doubt,  therefore,  that  this  will  soon 
become  an  important  V)ranch  of  American  in- 
dustiy  i 

In  the  manutacture  of  passenwjiterie,  or  trim- 
mines,  made  to  a  s^reat  extent  of  this  silk  waste. 
there  are  employed  in  Paris,  alone,  8,500  persons, 
producing  annually,  products  to  the  value  of 
about  S8,000,0(  H  I. 

This  l:)ranch  of  industry  throughout  France, 
occupies  more  than  3<  >,<  x  in  hands,  and  the  entire 
annual  production  exceeds  s2<>.000,0(K».  It  is 
one  of  the  occupations,  like  ribl)ons  and  laces, 
that  employs  the  largest  number  of  women  and 
children,  who  earn  from  twenty  to  sixty  cents 
per  day. 

Tlie  wages  depend  l)oth  upon  the  skill  of  the 
laborer,  and  the  nature  of  the  work.  Men  earn 
from  sixty  cents  to  si. 50  per  day. 


97 

St.  Etienne  is  noted  for  its  t'asliionable  dress 
trimmings ;  St.  Cliamoud  for  its  excellent  cords, 
braids,  and  stay-laces — employing  about  2,()(M) 
fi-ames,  or  metiers  a  la  poupee^  in  weaving  stay- 
laces  alone. 

Most  of  tliese  articles  are  extensively  copied 
by  foreign  manufacturers  from  samples  obtained 
in  Paris.  A  system  lias  been  inaugurated  there 
for  promptly  supplying  samples  of  all  novelties 
in  silk  fabrics  b}'  the  pajTnent  of  a  yearly  sub- 
scription. 

4tli.  With  regard  to  the  automatic  weav- 
ing of  plain  stuffs,  the  United  States  already 
compete  successfully  with  the  more  experienced 
nations  of  Europe. 

It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the  looms  exhib- 
ited by  American  constructors,  have  been  highly 
appreciated  for  their  ingenious  contrivances  and 
remarkable  improvements.* 

There  remain,  then,  three  specialties,  to  excel 
in  wdiich,  time  will  be  necessary  to  obtain  the 
experience  requisite  to   complete   success.     This, 


*  Tlie  Looms  exliibited  by  Mr.  M.  0i)i)er,  of  New  York  ;  Mr.  (It'orjft- 
Croinpton,  of  Worct'Htcr,  Mass.,  uiid  tin-  Knittiny:  Miicliiiic  nf  Mr.  J. 
W.  Lamb,  of  Rochester,  attractt-d  spcrial  iittcDtinii.  and  a  Silv.r 
Medal  was  awarded  for  each. 


98 

our  coiintrjTnen  will  indubitably  acquire  in  due 
season,  if  tliey  will  only  bring  to  the  task  tlieir 
usual  sagacity  and  proverbial  perseverance. 
These  specialties  are — 

1st.  The  rearinor  of  silk-worms. 

2d.  The  reeling  of  the  cocoons  into  raw  silk. 

8d.  The  weaving  of  figured  goods,  more  or 
less  rich. 

We  ^^'ill  speak  of  these  in  their  order. 

1st.  As  to  the  rearing  of  the  silk- worm.  The 
most  important  element  in  this  matter  seems  to  be 
solved,  namely,  the  culture  of  the  mulberry. 
The  various  previous  trials  in  the  United  States, 
already  mentioned,  have  proved  that  large  sections 
of  the  country  are  admirably  suited  to  the  a:rowth 
of  this  tree,  so  indispensable  to  the  rearing  of  the 
worm.  And,  from  what  has  ali'eady  been  shown, 
it  may  be  inferred,  that  if  the  breeding  of  silk- 
worms has  not  been  hitherto  entii'ely  successful, 
it  is  probably  because,  that,  at  the  periods  of 
these  early  attempts,  the  agricultural  population 
was  not  sufficiently  instructed  in  details,  and 
therefore  failed  in  some  essential  j)articulars,  or 
lacked  somewhat  of  that  patience  which  the 
French  and  Italian  cultivators  bring  to  this  par- 
ticular pursuit. 


99 

But,  with  an  increase  of  exj)ei'iente,  daily  aug- 
mented l)y  recruits  to  our  population  from  the 
skilled  labor  of  Europe  and  China,  with  individ- 
ualities and  talents  the  most  diverse  and  elastic ; 
with  abundance  of  capital  seeking  investment; 
and  above  all,  with  our  fertile  and  remunerative 
soils,  and  the  superior  climatic  conditions  of 
large  sections  of  our  country,  it  is  not  possiljle 
that  new  trials  judiciously  conducted,  should  fail 
of  success.* 

2d  The  reeling  or  filature  of  the  cocoons  into 
raw  silk,  which  comes  next  in  order,  constitutes, 
perhaps,  one  of  the  processes  the  most  diffi- 
cult to  teach,  and  especially  in  localities  want- 


*  As  a  proof  how  tlie  introduction  of  this  industry  into  a  locality 
will  enhance  the  prosi)erity  of  a  whole  i)e()i)le,  an  interesting:  tact 
may  be  cited  from  a  recent  French  publication. 

An  officer  in  the  French  army,  havinjj  seen  duiin<j-  an  Italian  cam. 
paign,  to  what  a  degree  the  cultivation  of  the  mulberry-tree  and  its 
attendant  silk  husbandry,  were  enriching  the  pojmlation,  resolved  to 
introduce  it  into  the  little  vale  in  the  Ccmimune  of  Valleraugnc, 
where  he  owned  an  estate.  Soon  after  the  introduction,  there  was 
obtained  there  only  some  2,050  kilo's  of  very  poor,  unsaleable  co- 
coons. But,  after  a  few  years,  200,000  kilo's  of  an  excelh-nt  (piality 
were  produced  annually,  valued  at  one  million  of  francs,  (!j;200,()0(»,) 
which  sum  was  mostly  ditlused  among  the  rural  laboring  population 
of  a  village  of  4,000  iiiluil)itants.  The  work  was  carried  «m  in  the 
following  manner  :  The  well-to-do  i)roprii'tors  gave  out  the  silk-worm 
eggs  to  the  laborers,  ui)on  the  <-onditi(>n  that  a  quintal  (100  lbs.)  of 
cocoons  be  n^turned  for  every  ounce  of  eggs  ;  also  giving  them  a  s\if- 
ficient  quantity  of  mulberry  leaves  to  feed  the  worms  hatched  from 
the  eggs,  and  a  certain  (juantity  more.  The  cocoons  i)roduced  from 
this  surplus,  constituted  the  profit  of  the  silk-worm  cultivators. 


100 

ing  in  experience  in  this  particular  l^rauch  of  silk 
industry. 

The  superiority  of  the  French  and  Italian  silks 
over  Asiatic  silks  is  greatly  owing  to  the  perfec- 
tion of  reeling.  The  success  of  this  process  de- 
pends in  a  large  measure  upon  the  care  and 
watchfulness  of  the  attendant,  especially  so  far  as 
the  perfection  of  the  product  is  concerned. 

The  rapid  analysis  above  made  of  this  kind  of 
lal)or,  may  assist  us  to  understand  the  difficulty 
that  besets  this  branch  of  the  work ;  but  we 
shall  render  it  still  more  palpable  by  saying,  that 
the  most  experienced  workwoman  can  hardly  pro- 
duce more  than  300  grammes,  or  12  ounces  of 
good  silk  in  the  ordinary  qualities;  obtained 
from  5  or  6  cocoons  per  thread,  of  which  the 
quality  or  fineness  is  from  10  to  12  deniers,  being 
24,000  yards  per  ounce. 

Nevertheless,  the  country  which  produces  the 
most  skillful  and  careful  spinners  of  wool  and 
cotton  manufactures,  will  not  despair  of  arriving 
eventually  at  the  successful  production  of  the 
many  kinds  of  silk  goods  so  clearly  within  its 
province. 

3d.  Thou2:h  we  feel  assured  that  the  in- 
dustry  of  the   United  States  will    soon  largely 


develope  itself  in  the  weaving  <>f  plain,  stii|n'(l, 
and  plaid  silks ;  of  velvets,  of  plain  ii])l)ons,  and 
other  silk  fabrics,  simple  in  their  character ;  yet, 
we  cannot  conceal  the  fact,  that  long  and  patient 
study  is  necessary  to  produce  articles  of  sufficient 
novelty  and  artistic  skill  to  compete  with  Euro- 
pean industry,  and  more  particularly  with  that 
of  Lyons,  which  shines  with  a  brilliancy  pecu- 
liarly its  own. 

The  great  experience,  cultivated  taste,  and  ex- 
tensive knowledge  of  the  French,  have  made  this 
specialty  with  them  a  veritable  art. 

The  employment  of  Jacquard  looms  forms  the 
basis  of  success  in  the  textile  fabrics.  But,  al- 
though this  loom  is  universally  in  use,  the  effects 
it  can  produce  have  been  no  where  pushed  to  so 
great  an  extent  as  in  France,  and  particularly  in 
Lyons. 

The  same  may  be  said  of  Calais  in  its  applica- 
tion of  the  Jacquard  to  blondes^  or  figured  silk  laces. 

The  Exhibition  proves,  by  products  of  this 
kind,  that  henceforth,  to  automatic  labor,  almost 
nothing  is  impossible. 

The  magnificent  specimens  of  lace  there  dis- 
played, which  imitate  and  well-nigh  rival  the 
most  exquisite  and  elaborate  efforts  obtained  by 


102 

the  slow  and  tedious  process  of  liaiid-lalxn-,  are 
now  tlie  results  of  the  motive  power  of  steam, 
while  the  functions  of  the  workmen  are  limited 
to  a  superintendence,  which  l)ecomes  almost  a 
sinecure,  on  account  of  the  admirahle  precision 
and  perfect  execution  of  these  machines. 

It  is  thus  that  fabrics,  alike  l»eautifiil  and  use- 
ful, once  ranked  amongst  articles  of  luxury,  and 
accessi])le  only  to  the  wealthy,  are  each  day  ren- 
dered more  available  to  the  masses:  contributing 
both  to  the  prosperity  of  the  ]>roducer,  and  the 
gratification  of  the  consumer. 

So  far  ti'om  despairing  of  ultimate  success  in 
rivaling  the  most  elal)orate  and  l)rilliant  produc- 
tions of  Europe  in  this  department  of  industiy, 
the  people  of  the  United  States  may  take  cour- 
age by  the  fact  that  already  a  iiKxt  successful 
beginning  has  l;)een  made  in  silk  weaving. 

Paterson,  X.  J.,  and  Hartford.  Manchester,  and 
Mansfield,  Conn.,  are  already  noted  for  their  ex- 
tensive silk  manufactures. 

For  many  years  past  all  the  sewing  silk  an<l 
tAvist  used  in  the  United  States  have  been  of 
home  manufacture.*     The  same  is,  in  a  measui'e, 


*  The  Williams  Silk  Manufacturinisr  Company  of  New  York,  exhi- 
bited excellent  "  Silk  Twist  tor  Sewing:  Machines,"  for  which  hon- 
orable mention  was  made — equivalent  to  a  Diploma. 


108 


true  of  Pongee  handkerchiefs.  Rapid  progress  is 
being  made  in  the  weaving  of  ribljons,  braids, 
trimmings,  fringes,  and  various  kinds  of  dress 
goods. 

More  especially  may  Americans  be  encouraged 
to  prosecute  this  industry,  in  view  of  the  exemp- 
tion of  our  continent  from  the  malady  among  the 
silk-worms  now  prevailing  in  Europe. 

The  devastation  caused  by  the  epidemic  can 
hardly  be  overestimated.  The  steady  advance 
of  the  malady  threatens  to  embrace  within  its 
widening  circles  the  silk-growing  countries  of  the 
East,  and  thus  cut  oif  one  of  the  main  sources 
whence  European  manufacturers  draw  their  sup- 
plies of  raw  material. 

The  calamity  has  thrown  a  pall  over  silk  in- 
dustry in  all  its  branches.  In  the  course  of  a 
speech  on  agriculture^  delivered,  last  year,  in  the 
Corps  Legislatif,  M.  Thiers  said  that  the  annual 
loss  to  silk  culture  in  France,  from  this  cause 
alone,  for  several  years,  had  l)cen  uj)wards  of  one 
hundred  millions  of  francs,  (|2(),(I00,()00.) 

Mr.  Andrew  Murray,  in  an  elaborate  report  on 
'■'•ProdiLctsof  Useful  Insects,^''  at  the  Paris  E\-hil)i- 
tion,  printed  in  tlie  77/r  I Ihistniicd  London 
News^  of  the  Oth  of  July,  l.SC.T,  in   speaking  of 


104 

tlie  supply  of  graines^  or  eggs  in  the  future,  says : 
"  While  things  jog  on,  as  before,  from  year  to 
year,  the  cultivator  will  be  slow  to  believe  it 
possible  that  a  time  may  come  when  no  fi'esh 
graines  (or  eggs)  are  to  Tje  had.  But  the  supply 
hangs  upon  a  thread ;  when  every  silk  country  in 
the  world  shall  have  Ijecome  infected,  then  the 
supply  must  cease.  And  we  are  not  far  from 
that  stage.  Japan  and  Australia  are  the  only 
countries  now  free.  When  they  go,  the  silk 
trade  will  collapse,  and  silk  be  blotted  from  the 
list  of  textile  fabrics.  That,  indeed,  would  be  a 
calamity  which  would  come  home  to  ourselves. 
Our  silk  spinners  and  silk  weavers,  our  ribbon 
makers,  our  silk  mercers,  and  the  thousands  who 
depend  on  these  trades  for  subsistence,  would 
have  their  occuj)ations  gone,  and  ruin  and  starva- 
tion would  await  a  large  portion  of  our  popula- 
tion. Surely,  to  avert  such  a  result,  not  only  in 
this  country,  (Great  Britain,)  Ijut  also  over  a 
large  part  of  the  Continent,  deserves  that  every 
suggestion  which  promises  escape  should  be  care- 
fully considered,  and  surely,  if  by  any  measure, 
however  stringent,  one  country  could  be  cleansed 
from  the  infection  before  its  spread  ends  in  a 
complete   extinction    of    the    race,    and    so    the 


105 

threatened  ruin  averted,  it  ought  to  1)e  adopt- 
ed." 

Unlike  almost  all  epidemics,  this  does  not  dis- 
ap})ear  from  a  locality  after  one  or  two  visita- 
tions, but,  once  established,  it  remains ;  while  its 
virulence  increases  rather  than  diminishes.  This 
extraordinary  trait  is  attributed  to  the  fact  that 
the  silk-worm,  l)y  the  law  of  its  existence,  is  an 
annual,  and,  therefore,  has  no  acclimated  subjects, 
but  presents  to  the  epidemic  a  yearly  supply  of 
fresh  victims.  And,  in  view  of  the  geographical 
position  of  the  United  States,  it  may  be  noted, 
that  M.  de  Quatrefages,  an  eminent  French 
writer,  who  has  carefully  studied  this  su)>ject, 
expresses  the  opinion  that,  contrary  to  the  gene- 
ral course  of  epidemics,  this  travels  Eastward 
rather  than  Westward. 

This  mysterious  malady,  which  seems  destined 
to  destroy  silk  husbandry  in  the  whole  Eastern 
hemisphere,  has  not  appeared  in  the  Western. 

In  view^  of  its  easterly  course,  and  with  the 
Pacific  Ocean  between  it  and  the  American  Con- 
tinent, and  w^ith  our  superior  climatic  condi- 
tions, it  is  hoped,  and  l>elieved,  that  with  jnecau- 
tion  and  care  it  w^ll  never  reach  oui-  shoies. 

The  soils,  and  es])ecially  the  climate,  of  those 
8 


106 

states  of  our  Union,  where  the  cotton  plant  and 
the  sugar-cane  have  been  wont  to  flourish,  are 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  raising  of  the  mul- 
beny  and  rearing  of  the  silk-woiTas. 

From  obvious  causes,  some  of  the  long-existing 
industries  of  portions  of  those  States,  will  here- 
after be  necessarily  modified  to  a  noticeable 
extent.  The  culture  of  cotton,  and  the  produc- 
tion of  sugar,  will  not  so  exclusively  engross  the 
attention  of  their  populations  as  fonnerly.  A 
portion  of  their  capital  and  labor  will  doubtless 
seek  new  fields  for  the  exercise  of  their  energies. 

Are  not  these  facts  an  exhortation,  an  admoni- 
tion even,  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  to 
promptly  avail  themselves  of  their  Providential 
advantages,  and,  by  devoting  a  liberal  share  of 
their  resources  to  the  production  and  manufac- 
ture of  silk,  save  this  imj^ortant  and  beautiful 
industry  from  ruin,  while  at  the  same  time,  they 
advance  the  prosperity  of  their  own  country 
and  confer  incalculable  blessings  upon  the  world  ? 

In  conclusion,  the  undersigned  cannot  refi'ain 
fi*om  expressing  here  publicly,  his  thanks  to 
Messieurs  Arles-Dufour  and  Duseigneur,  of 
Lyons,  and  M.  Alcau,  of  Paris,  as  well  as  to  the 
many  prominent  manufacturers  and  merchants  in 


107 

the  clitfereut  centers  of  industry,  in  Europe, 
whom  he  has  visited,  for  their  kindness  in  assist- 
ing to  make  the  numerous  researches  which  he- 
came  necessary  in  the  examination  of  this  im- 
portant and  diversified  subject. 

The  works  of  M.  Louis  Reybaud,  M.  Pasteur, 
M.  de  Quatrefages ;  the  archives  of  the  Chambers 
of  Commerce  of  the  various  cities  of  France, 
Switzerland  and  Germany,  and  especially  that  of 
Lyons,  have  been  valuable  sources  of  information. 

The  report  now  submitted  has  swelled  far  be- 
yond the  limits  anticipated  at  its  commencement. 
But,  silk  industry  in  all  its  branches,  now  grown 
to  such  importance  throughout  Europe ;  the  con- 
spicuous place  it  occupied  in  the  Exhibition  ;  its 
comparative  novelty  in  the  Ignited  States;  and 
the  prospect  that  ere  long  it  will  l)e  firmly  estab- 
lished and  diligently  prosecuted  in  many  sections 
of  our  country,  seemed  to  call  for  a  careful  and 
thorough  investigation,  and  a  full  and  detailed 
statement  of  facts  and  conclusions. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

ELLIOT  C.  COWDIN. 

To  the  IIox.  Wii.i.iAM  H.  Sewaho, 
Secretary  of  State, 

Washington,  D.  C. 


I  ^  D  E  X 


PAGE 

Africa. — State  of  Silk  ludustry  in,      ....    36-37 

Alcan. — Professor,  Silk  Tliread  Tostiii<r  Apparatus  of,   .  68 

Other  Machines  of,        .  .  .  .  (jg 

Thanks  of  the  Author  to,  ...  106 

Ables-Dufour. — Thanks  of  the   Author  to,    .  .  .        106 

Asiatic  Countries. — State  of  Silk  ludustry  in,  .  .  36 

China,       .....  36 

East  Indies,  ....  36 

Persia,      .....  36 

Syria,  ....  36 

Asia  Minor,         ....  36 

Austria. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in,         ...  35 

AuRELiAN. — The  Emperor,  His  Opinion  of  Silk  in  His  Times,     03 

Beciiamp,  M. — On  the  Malady  Anionj>-  Silk-Worms,  54 

Blonde  Lace. — Manufacture  and  Beauty  of,  .  .     88-8!) 

California. — Its  Cocoons  at  the  Exposition,  14 

Excellency  of  its  Ejgrfrs,  .  .  .15 

Its  Flourishing   Silk   Industry,        .  .  15-16 

Admirably  Adapted  to  Silk  Husbandry,  16 

Caroline,  Queen. — Her  Hobe  of  (Georgia  Silk,  .  .  9 

Charles   II. — His  Coronation  Kobe  of  Virginia  Silk,  .  8 

ChE8TERFIEI,d. — Earl   of.  His   Hobe  of  Stnith  Carolina   Silk,         10 

China. — Silk   Originated  in,        .....         1-2 

Early  Exportation   of  Kggs,  ...  4 

Ciirious  Custom  of  the   Phnjjrt'ss  of,  .  .  4 

State  of  Silk  Industry   in.  ...  36 

Cocoons. — How  to  Select  (lood.  ....         43 

Treatment  of  in    Heeling  an<l  Throwing,  5!l,  60,  75 

Dimbles,  ......  44 

CosT; — Of  Haw  Silk   in    \'arious  Countries,  .  23 

Of  Various  Elements  in   Silk-Worni    Breeding,  58-50 

Crompton,  (iKoufiE. — Loom  of,       ....  07 

DroUYN  de  L'HiYS. — Madame,   Introduces  a   New   Silk  Worm 

in  France,  .  !'•• 

DUSEIGNEUR,  M. — Thanks  of  the  Author  to,  .  .  .100 


110  INDEX. 

PAGE 

Dyeing.— Of  Silk,       .           .           .           .           .           .  40-80 

High  Perfection  in,     .  .  .  .  .80 

Surcharging  Silk  Threads  by  Reprobated,      .  80-81 

East  Indies. — Silk  Industry  in,            ....  36 

Edict  of  Nantes. — EflFect  of  Revocatiug  on  France,     .  6-7 

"        "              "            "    Germany   and  7 

Switzerland,            .            •            .  7 

Effect  of  Revocating  on  England,  .  29-30 

Egos. — Importance  of,      .  .  .  .  .  .42 

Scarcity  of  Good,       .....  42 

Countries  where  Mostly  Produced,       ...  42 

Mode  of  Selecting  Good,      ....  43-44 

Egypt,  Mediterranean. — Countries,  State  of  Silk  Industry  in,    37 

Ecuador. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in,         .            .            .  16 

Fra>-ce.— ^Progressive  Development  of  Silk  Industry  in,     .  26 

Value  of  in  1789,              ....  26 

"    "    1812, 36 

"     "    1820,             ....  27 

"     "    1850, 27 

"    "    1855,             ....  28 

"     "    1860,  and  subsequently,          .            .  29 

Superior  State  of  Silk  Industry  in,       .            .  35 

Persons  Employed  in  Paris  on  Silk  Waste,         .  96 
Value  of  this  Product  there  and  in  the  Whole 

Country,     ......  96 

Franklin,  Benjamin. — Encourages   Silk   Industry   in   the 

United  States,    ...  10 

George   III. — His  Mother's  Robe  of  South  Carolina  Silk,  10 

Gold. — Silk  Once  as  Costly,  Pound  for  Pound,  as    .            .  63 

Great  Britain. — Rise  and  Progress  of  Silk  Industry  in,  29-33 

Amount  of  in  1825,        ...  31 

"     "    1855,             ...  31 

"    "    1856,       ...  32 

"    "    1858,             ...  32 

,       "        "    from  1860  to  1866,            .  32 

Superior  Condition  of  in,    ."  .  .33 

Number  of  Looms  and  Persons  Emploj'ed  in,     95 

GuERiN,  Meneville. — Introduces  a  New  Silk- Worm  into 

France,               ...  70 

Honegger,  G. — Silk  Thread  Sorting  Apparatus  ot,  .            .  67 


INDEX. 


Ill 


Industry,  Silk. — The  Seven  Branches  of, 

Breeding  of  Silk-Worms,    . 
Heelinof  from  Cocoons,  .  . 

Throwing  of  the  Silk, 
Dyeing,     ..... 

Preparation  of  Threads  for  the  Loom, 
Weaving,  .... 

Working  of  Waste, . 
International  Conference  at  Paris, 
Iron. — Silk  Thread  as  Strong  as,  . 
Italy. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in. 
Jacquard,  M. — Looms  of,     . 
JOYOT,  Jr. — Looms  of,  for  Weaving  Ribbons, 
Laces. — Manufacture  of,        . 
Lamb,  J.   W. — Knitting  Machine  of,     . 
Law,  Gov. — His  Silk  Coat  and  Stockings, 
Lyons. — The  Great  Center  of  Silk  Manufacture, 

Looms  in,      ...... 

Brilliant  Character  of  Products  of,     . 
Exports  of  the  United  States  in  1865   and  1866, 
Author's  Thanks  to  Chamber  of  Commerce  of. 
Machines,  Implements,  Tools  and  Apparatus,  ^iz : 
For  Preventing  Double  Cocoons, 
For  Reeling  Cocoons,       .... 

For  Sorting  and  Testing  Threads, 

For  Throwing,      ..... 

For  Simultaneous  Reeling  and  Throwing. 

For  Disintegrating  Waste, 

For  Weaving  Stuffs,  .... 

For  Weaving  Ribbons.    .... 

The  .Jacciuard   Looms, 
Malady. — Among  Silk-Worms,  and  Remedies  jjroiioscd  . 
Great  Ravages  of,       .... 

Theories  as  to  Its  Cause, 

Proposed  Remedies,  Theories  of, 

M.  Pasteur's  Theory  of,  .... 

M.   Becamjj's         "         "  . 

Facts  Ascertained  Concerning,    . 

M.  de  Quatrefage's  Opinions  ii])on. 

Andrew  Murray  upon,     .... 

Exemption  of  United  States  from,  . 
MORUS  Multicaulis. — Furor  About   in   tin-   fnitrd  States. 


PAGE 

37-96 

42-46 

43-67 

39-41 

44-80 

42 

41 

41 

21 

1 

33-34 

88-101 

90 

88-89 

97 

11 

27-28 

28 

63 

29 

107 

45 

57-60 

63-67 

69-76 

72-76 

75 

87-90 

'91 

88-101 

•51-55 

52-103 

52 

.53 

53 

54 

54 

105 

10:3-104 

105 

14 


112  rsDEX. 

PAGE 

Mrr.BERRY-TREE.— Condition  of  it*  Cultivation,         .  .  16 

Cliuiate.s  and  SoUs  Suited  to,  .  18 

Portions  of  United  States  Adapted  to.    IT.  18. 106 

California  Especially  Adajrted  to.      .  14-1.5 

Murray,  Andrew. — On  Silk-Worm  Malady,  .  103 

Nurseries. — For  Silk  Worm-Rearinor,       .  .  .  37-38 

Opper,  M. — Loom  of.       ......  97 

Paris. — Persons  Employed  on   Silk   Wa.<te  in.     .  .  96 

Value  of  Products  of  Waste  in.  .  96 

Pasteur.  M. — On  Silk-Worm  Malady,      ...  53 

Persia. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in,      .  .  .  .36 

Peter  the  Great. — Introduces  the  Mulberry  into  Russia.  20 

Profitableness. — Of  Silk   Husbandry,  .  .  .18 

Illustration  from  Commune  of  Vallerauorne,     98 

Prussia. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in,     .  .  .  .34 

QUATREFAfiEs,  De. — On  the  Silk-Worm  Malady.  105 

Raw  Sii.k. — Production  and  Characteristics  of.  .     19-20 

Tabular  Statement  of  Value,  of  the  Product  of.       23 

Price  at  Various  Times.    .  .  .  .25 

Implements  for  Transforminor  Cocoons  into.         63-66 
Methods  of  Transformation,  .  6vi-66 

Ai>paratus  to  Sort  and  Prove  Threads  of.  .  67 

(t.  Honeorgers  Apparatus.  ...  67 

Prof.  Alcan's  Apparatus,         ...  68 

Reeling  and  Throwing. — Simultaneously,    .  .  .72 

Revolutionary  War. — Destructive  Effect  of,  on  Silk  Hus- 
bandry in  the  United  States.  .  12 
Reybaud.  Louis. — The  Works  of            .            .            .              .    107 

Ribbons. — The  Weavino^  of,       .  .90 

Joyot's  Loom  for.  ....  90 

Chief  Localities  for  the  Manufacture  of.  .  90 

\Miere  Chiefly  Sold,       ....  90-91 

Purchases  of  by  the  United  States.  .  91 

Manufacture  of  in  the  United  States.  .  95 

Russia. — State  of  Silk  Industry  in.      .  .  .20 

Sewing  Silk. — Large  Production  of  in  the  United  States,  102 

Sn.K. — Leading  Characteristics  of,         .  .  .  1 

Name  of  in  Various  Languages.     ...  2 

Origin  of  in  China,  .....  2 

Introduction  into  Persia,  Greece  and  Italy,  5 

Introduction  of  into  Constantinople,     ...  5 

Introduction  of  Manufacture  of  into  Euroi)e.  6 


INDEX.  113 

PAGE 

SiT.K. — Rise  ami  Profrross  of  Silk  Industry  in  the 

United  States,               .            .  7-16 

Virtriuia,      ....  7 

Georgia,             ...  8 

South  Carolina,      ...  10 

Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  10 

Massachusetts  and   Conneeticut,  11 

California,         ...  14 

South  America,      .            .  16 

Ecuador.             ...  16 

Sn-K-WoTOis. — Breeding  of,        .  .  17,19,42,43,55,98 

Habits  of,      ....            .  44 

Necessity  of  Good  Eggs  for,  ...  42 

Nurseries  for,            ....  43 

Mode  of  Selecting  Eggs  for,  .            .            .  43-45 

Male  and   Female  Cocoons,            .            .  43 

Double  Cocoons,             ....  45 

Apparatus  to  Prevent  Doubles,    .            .  45 

Cost  of  Breeding,  in  Detail,    .            .            .  55-57 

Malady  Among,       ....  52 

Different  Species  of  Worms,   .            .            .  46-50 

The  Common   Species  Most  in   Tse.         .  46 

Its  Characteristics  and  Habits,            .             .  47 

The  Castor  Oil   Species,      ...  47 

The  Ailanthus          "                  ...  48 

The  Tusseh               "...  49 

The  Japan                  "                  .             .             .  49 

The  Bombyx  Curojjia  Species,      .            .  50 

Mode  in  which  the   Worm  Produces  Silk,  .  47 

Sir.VRi?. — Silk  as  Dear  as  by  Weight.        ...  63 

Sp.mn. — State  of  Silk   Industry  in.                                              .  34 

Spinning  of  Wastp:,  41 

Spittalfield. — The  Silk  Weavers  of,              ...  30 

Stk.xm  Looms,             ......  91 

Stii.ks,  Rev.  Dr. — His  Commenci-ment  Silk  (Jown.  .             .  11 

SwiT7,KHi,.\ND.— State  of  Silk  Industry  in,  H5 
Its  Importance  Next  to  that  of  France  and 

England,            ....  35 

Large  Manufacture  of  Ribbons  in.     .  91 

Variety  of  its  Apparatus  for  Throwing,  69-70 

"         "     "    Looms,  ....  82 


114  tffDEX. 

PAGE 

Syria.— Product  of  Silk  in.  ...  .  36 

Thiers,  M.— Silk -^^'o^m  Malady.  .  .  .  .103 

Threads. — Of  Silk,  Various  Kind  of,  .  -  .  .39 

Throwx  Silk. — Various  Kinds  of  Threads  of,     .  .  37—10 

Throwing  of  Silk. — Methods  of,         .  .  .  .  7"2 

Apparatus  for,  ...  T"2 

Simultaneous  Reeling  and  Throwing.         12 

Trimmings. — Silk,  Large  Production  of  in  the  United  States.      13 

Torus. — Perfection  of  its  Products,        ....  87 

United  States. — Adaption  of  to  this  Industry.  .  14-100 

Production  of  Sewing  Silk  and  Twist  in,  12, 13, 102 

"  "   Pongee  Handkerchiefs  in,         103 

"  "   Ribbons,  Braids.  Trimmings, 

&c.,  ....  103 

Chief  Seats  of  this  Industry  in,    .  .  94-102 

Products  of  in  1840,  1844,  1850,  1860  and 

since,       .....  13 

Morus  Multicaulis  Furor  in,    .  .  12 

Species  of  Silk- Worm  Indigenous  in,      .  50 

Exem]ition  of  the  Country  from  the 

Malady.  .....        103 

Encouragement  on  that  Account.  105 

The  Four  Branches  in  which  they  May 

Now  Excel,  ...  94 

The  Three  Branches  in  which  they  May 

Ultimately  Excel.  .  .  .  94 

Waste. — Utility.  Variety  and  Production  of,  .  .  76 

Methods  of  UtOizing,        ....  77 

Manufacture  of  in  Paris,         ....  77 

"    "    France,  ...  77 

Weaving.— Of  Silk  Stuffs,         ....  82,  87,  88 

French  and  Swiss  Looms.       ...  82 

English  Looms,        .....  82 

Two  Classes  of  Automatic  Looms,   .  .  84 

Of  Ribbons,  ......  91 


i^^vl 


m^  mwmx^ixl  (Exltilntiou  ot  1867. 


-A.1^    A.DDRESS 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


N.  I  mn  AGRICLILTliRAIi  SOCIIITF 


AT     THEIR     ANNUAL     MEETING     IN     THE     CAPITOL     AT 


ALBANY,  FEB'T  12,  18G8, 


By  ELLIOT  C.  COWDIN. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY. 


ALBANY  : 

PRINTING  HOUSE  OF  CIIAS.  VAN  BENTIIUYSEN  AND  SONS. 

1808. 


ADDEESS. 


M?'.  President  and  Gentlemen  : 

The  opening  of  the  past  year  found  the 
attention  of  the  world  irresistibly  attracted  to 
one  of  its  most  brilliant  and  renowned  cities, 
Paris,  the  capital  of  France  and  center  of  civi- 
lization in  Europe. 

For  centuries  Paris  has  been  watched  by 
Europe,  as  often  in  fear  as  in  admiration.  Now 
the  entire  world  was  led  to  think  of  it,  for  its 
gates  were  flung  wide  open,  not  for  the  exit  of 
armed  hosts  pouring  forth  to  battle  and  to  con- 
quest as  in  former  days,  but  to  welcome,  with 
a  boundless  hospitality,  the  representatives  of 
all  nations,  inviting  them  to  bring  thither  and 
combine  the  products  of  their  soil,  their  labor, 
and  their  art,  in  peaceful  competition  and  in 
generous  rivalry. 

To  the  Universal  Exposition  of  18G7  all  were 
welcopie  guests,  irrespective  of  nationality  or 


of  creed.  It  is  of  this  great  exhibition,  which 
it  was  my  privilege  to  attend  as  one  of  the 
Commissioners  from  the  United  States,  that  I 
purpose  to  speak  this  evening  in  compliance 
with  your  special  request. 

Paris  itself  is  a  perpetual  Universal  Exhibi- 
tion. It  epitomizes  not  onlj'  France,  for  which 
it  is  only  but  another  name,  but  civilization 
itself. 

It  is  a  manj-sided  city,  and  each  of  its  angles 
exhibits  its  own  peculiar  aspect.  Hence,  adapt- 
ing itself  to  every  variety  of  taste,  it  has  been 
depicted  in  almost  as  many  dififerent  colors  as 
the  chameleon.  Yet  everj'  description  is  true, 
for  it  wears  a  rainbow  garment.  One  tells  you 
it  is  a  city  of  fashion  and  frivolitj-;  another 
that  it  is  a  city  of  learning,  science,  law,  reli- 
gion ;  a  third,  the  focus  of  turmoil  and  insur- 
rection. It  all  depends  upon  the  standpoint  of 
the  observer,  the  color  of  the  medium  through 
which  he  looks,  and  the  time  of  his  visit.  Look 
at  Paris  on  a  festive  day,  its  streets  and  squares 
filled  with  radiant  faces,  and  you  would  think 
that  the  Golden  Age  had  been  restored,  and 
here  was  another  Arcadia. 


Look  at  Paris  on  a  day  of  revolution,  the 
cannon  roaring  in  its  streets,  its  barricades 
emitting  death ;  even  women  and  children  fight- 
ing in  the  ranks  of  battle ;  and  you  would  say 
that  one  spirit  of  the  first-born  Cain  reigned  in 
those  hearts.  Such  extreme  contrasts  does  this 
wonderful  city  present  in  its  history,  because 
here  all  the  phases  of  human  passion  and  char- 
acter have  been  exhibited  as  on  the  broader 
stage  of  the  world.  Here,  especially,  there  has 
been  a  concentration  of  conflicting  elements. 

But  we  have  now  to  do  with  happier  days — 
with  the  pacific  aspect  of  Paris  under  a  strong 
and  intelligent  municipal  administration.  It  is 
a  beautiful  city,  and  every  day  growing  more 
beautiful,  for  wonderful  improvements  are  in 
progress,  conceived  in  the  most  liberal  spirit 
and  conducted  at  a  vast  expenditure  of  wealth 
and  labor.  The  spectator,  looking  down  for  the 
first  time  on  the  immense  area  of  the  city  from 
the  summit  of  the  Triumphal  Arch,  or  the  Col- 
umn of  July,  and  contemplating  the  sweej)  of 
the  Boulevards  and  Avenues,  the  sidewalks  of 
which  are  as  wide  as  many  of  our  streets,  the 
solidity  and  elegance  of  the  buildings,  all  (with- 
out exception)  of  light  colored  stone,  the  lines 


G 

of  trees  running  in  everv  direction,  the  numer- 
ous squares  with  their  foliage  and  fountains,  the 
splendid  cathedrals  and  churches  that  lift  their 
spires  and  domes  to  Heaven,  the  noble  bridges 
that  span  the  Seine,  the  stately  columns  that 
record  the  victories  and  glories  of  the  past,  the 
palaces  and  public  edifices  with  their  almost 
interminable  facades,  the  wooded  environs,  dot- 
ted with  villas  and  villages,  and  insulating  the 
capital  in  an  ocean  of  verdure:  the  spectator,  I 
say,  is  lost  in  admiration  of  the  scene  before 
him,  and  admits  that  Paris  is  indeed  the  most 
attractive  city  of  the  world. 

Descending  from  his  airy  eminence  and  plung- 
ing into  the  busy  world  of  Paris,  a  unit  in  the 
sum  of  its  life,  the  visitor  is  yet  more  astonished 
at  the  vitality  and  variety  of  its  existence. 
How  ceaseless  the  tide  that  ebbs  and  flows 
through  its  mighty  arteries  from  sunrise  till 
midnight!  What  wealth  and  taste  in  the  stores 
that  line  the  Boulevards  and  crowd  the  passages 
and  arcades  !  Above  all  what  order  and  neatness 
everywhere;  what  courtesy  and  civility! 

The  workman  in  his  blouse  manifests  as  much 
self-respect  as  a  counselor  of  state  or  a  marshal 
of  the  empire.     The  dignitv  of  manhood   now 


asserts  itself  in  every  individual,  whatever  maj' 
be  his  rank  and  calling.  Parisian  citizenship  is 
regarded  as  much  a  title  to  honor  as  was  Roman 
citizenship  in  the  days  of  the  great  Republic. 
Yet  there  is  no  offensive  self-assertion.  The 
citizen  claims  for  himself  no  more  respect  than 
he  accords  to  others.  ' 

Cleanliness  is  another  distinctive  feature  of 
the  French  Capital.  An  army  of  street  sweep- 
ers, working  at  hours  when  their  labor  is  invisi- 
ble, remove  every  particle  of  dirt  from  the 
thoroughfares. 

Those  who  visited  Paris  for  the  first  time 
during  the  Exposition  may  have  thought  that 
this  universal  neatness  was  an  exceptional  fea- 
ture, but  it  is  not  so ;  it  is  the  normal  condition 
of  the  city. 

Of  course  busy  preparations  were  made  by  a 
capital  which  had  issued  cards  of  invitation  to 
the  world.  Buildings  in  process  of  construction 
were  rapidly  finished,  and  the  wrecks  of  recent 
demolitions  removed,  that  no  unsightly  object 
might  offend  a  stranger's  eye ;  and  then,  when 
all  was  ready,  Paris  welcomed  her  guests  with 
a  bright  and  radiant  smile,  giving  cordial  recep- 
tion to  emperor  and  peasant,  citizen  and  king. 


8 

Let  us  hasten  to  the  great  center  of  attrac- 
tion, the  Champ  de  Mars,  the  site  of  the  Expo- 
sition, which  merits  a  brief  notice.  It  is  a  level 
area  of  about  one  hundred  acres,  in  front  of  the 
Militarv  School,  and  was  used  prior  to  the 
Exposition  as  a  parade  and  drill  gromid,  and  for 
reviews  and  public  celebrations. 

The  Champ  de  Mars  occupies  a  memorable 
place  in  the  history  of  France.  On  the  14th  of 
July,  1790,  it  was  the  scene  of  the  great  Festi- 
val of  the  Federation  designed  to  recall  the 
taking  of  the  Bastille  and  to  inaugurate  the  new 
constitution  of  the  kingdom. 

In  the  center  of  the  space  rose  the  altar  of 
the  country  where  Talleyeand,  then  Bishop  of 
Autun  (who  successively  supjDorted  the  Revolu- 
tion, the  Empire  and  Bestored  Boyalty),  cele- 
brated mass. 

Four  hundred  thousand  men,  women  and 
children,  occupied  the  terraces  of  green  turf 
surrounding  the  amj)itheatre  built  expressly  for 
their  accommodation.  The  altar  and  the  throne 
were  placed  side  by  side.  The  white  flag  of 
the  royal  troops  and  the  tri-color  of  the  armed 
populace  were  blended  fraternally,  like  the 
masses  that  upheld  them  ;  and  the  roll  of  hun- 


drcds  of  drums  and  the  peal  of  Imndreds  of 
trumpets  mingled  with  the  thunder  tones  of 
popular  acclamation. 

Louis  XVI  did  not  ascend  the  altar  and  swear 
fidelity  to  the  constitution.  He  uttered  the 
oath,  and  a  young  officer,  nominated  that  day 
commandant  general  of  all  the  national  guards 
in  the  realm,  mounted  on  a  white  horse,  caught 
the  words  from  his  lips,  rode  round  the  immense 
circle,  repeating  them  to  the  multitude,  and 
then,  on  behalf  of  the  king,  solemnly  pronounced 
them  at  the  altar. 

This  young  officer,  then  in  the  flower  of  man- 
hood, the  observed  of  all  observers  as  the  royal 
deputy,  the  central  figure  in  the  celebration, 
wearing  a  three-cornered  American  cocked  hat, 
as  worn  by  the  generals  of  the  Continental  army, 
was  none  other  than  the  friend  of  Washington 
and  of  Franklin,  the  hero  of  two  hemispheres, 
the  illustrious  La  Fayette. 

He  had  left  a  brilliant  court,  a  happy  home 
and  an  adored  bride,  to  ofier  his  sword,  his  fortune 
and  his  life  to  the  cause  of  American  Indepen- 
dence. He  returned  with  honorable  wounds, 
inspired  with  American  ideas,  to  participate  in 

2 


10 

the  disenthralment  of  his  country,  but  not  in  the 
excesses  of  its  revolution. 

In  speaking  of  the  Act  of  Federation  on  the 
Champ  de  Mars,  Everett  says  of  La  Fayette  : 
"  Of  all  the  oaths  that  day  taken  by  the  master 
spirits  of  the  time,  his  was  perhaps  the  only  one 
kept  inviolate." 

Dearly  did  he  pay  for  his  fidelity  by  years  of 
sufferino;,  but  he  lived  to  return  to  our  own  shores 
the  honored,  almost  idolized  guest  of  the  nation, 
lived  to  be  the  controlling  spirit  of  a  second 
revolution  in  his  native  land,  and  died  revered 
and  lamented,  crowned  with  a  spotless  fame. 

The  very  year  after  the  feast  of  the  Federa- 
tion, the  Champ  de  Mars  was  desecrated  by  a 
bloody  combat  between  the  national  guards  and 
the  insurgent  populace,  who  had  there  planted 
the  red  flag  of  revolt  and  murder. 

Well  might  Lamartine,  in  1848,  refuse,  at  the 
peril  of  his  life,  with  hundreds  of  muskets 
leveled  at  his  head  in  the  Square  of  the  Hotel 
de  Ville,  to  accord  to  the  maddened  rioters  the 
red  flag  which  they  then  demanded,  an  heroic 
refusal,  couched  in  words  of  undying  eloquence. 
"  I  will  refuse,  even  to  death,  this  flag  of  blood  ; 
for   the  red   flag  which   you  ofl'er  us  has  only 


11 

made  the  tour  of  the  Champ  de  Mars  trailed 
through  the  blood  of  the  people  in  '91  and  '93, 
while  the  tri-color  has  made  the  circuit  of  the 
world  with  the  name,  the  glory  and  the  liberty  of 
the  country. ^^ 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1815,  the  Champ  de  Mars 
again  witnessed  an  imposing  demonstration, 
the  celebration  of  Napoleon's  resumption  of 
the  throne,  and  the  consecration  of  the  Eagles 
he  had  so  often  led  to  victory,  but  which  he 
was  doomed  in  a  few  days  to  behold  stricken 
down  at  Waterloo,  his  last  and  fatal  field  of 
battle. 

But  the  souvenirs  of  the  scene  are  not  all 
warlike.  In  the  month  of  September,  1798, 
Francis  DE  NeufchAteau,  Minister  of  the  Interior 
of  the  French  Republic,  inaugurated  the  first 
known  exhibition,  which  was  opened  on  the  same 
site  as  that  of  this  year,  in  a  row  of  barracks  con- 
taining the  products  of  110  exhibitors.  This 
was  modest,  but  in  the  words  of  the  minister, 
"the  torch  of  liberty  was  kindled,"  and  the 
result  has  been  that  in  the  place  of  the  humble 
stalls,  inaugurated  by  Francis  de  NeufchAteau 
and  his  110  exhibitors,  42,237  citizens,  gathered 
from  all  the  countries  of  the  globe,  displayed 


12 

in  the  past  year  tliL^  marvels  of  human  indus- 
try, taste  and  skilL 

The  Exposition  of  170S  covered  a  space  of 
twenty-sev-en  square  yards;  that  of  1^07  occu- 
pies nearly  500.000  square  yards  without  reck- 
oning the  Island  of  the  Seine  devoted  to  the 
display  of  agricultural  implements.  The  first 
Exposition  vras  exclusivelv  French.  It  was 
only  in  1S-4S  that  M.  TROUVE-CnArvzL.  one  of  the 
Ministers  of  General  Cavaig>'ac,  Chief  of  the 
Executive  power  of  the  French  riepublic.  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  opening  these  meetings  to 
the  people  of  the  entire  world. 

Political  troubles  prevented  the  realization  of 
this  project,  but  Great  Britain  adopted  the  plan 
which  resulted  in  the  erection  of  the  Crystal 
Palace  in  Hyde  Park  in  1^51.  There  in  the 
presence  of  25,000  spectators,  Queen  Victoria.. 
wearing;  her  crown  and  decked  in  her  roval 
robes,  turned  to  the  North.  West.  East  and  South, 
successivelv,  and  four  times  proclaimed,  in  a 
loud  voice,  the  opening  of  the  Wurld's  Fair. 

The  first  French  Universal  Exposition  was 
held  in  1S55  in  the  Palace  of  Industry  erected 
on  the  Champs  Ely  sees,  a  spacious  structure  still 
standina".  and  used  this  A-ear  for  the  distribution 


13 

of  the  prizes,  a  ceremony  of  extraordinary 
interest,  to  which  I  shall  allude  hereafter. 

The  English  Fair  was  supposed  to  be  a  prelude 
to  universal  peace.  The  Paris  Exhibition,  on 
the  contrary  was  held  in  the  midst  of  the 
Crimean  war.  "  It  stood  on  its  own  merits,  as 
a  display  of  industry  and  of  art,  a  temple  of 
peace  amid  the  clash  of  arms;  but  a  temple  in 
which  it  was  impossible  for  any  to  worship 
without  the  intrusion  of  thoughts  which  took 
their  color  from  the  world  without,  confused 
as  it  was  with  mortal  conflicts  and  teeming 
with  political  convulsion." 

It  is  a  curious  fact,  illustrative  of  the  rapid 
changes  of  European  affairs,  that  during  the 
Exhibition  of  1855  France  was  fighting  Russia, 
while  during  that  of  1867  the  Emperor  of  Rus- 
sia was  her  honored  guest. 

Although  the  first  Universal  Exhibition  of 
England  preceded  a  period  of  strife,  and  the 
first  French  Universal  Exhibition  was  opened 
in  a  time  of  war,  let  us  indulge  the  hope  that 
this  second  French  Universal  Exhibition  may 
be  a  prelude  to  a  period  of  lasting  peace.  The 
erection  of  the  Temple  of  Concord  on  the 
Champ  dc  Mars  is  at  least  a  fact  of  happy  augury. 


14 

Seen  from  the  neighboring  heights  the  Expo- 
sition of  1867  presented  as  a  whole  the  aspect 
of  a  vast  camp  occupied  by  the  representatives 
of  all  the  nations  of  the  globe.  Specimens  of 
every  known  architecture  were  crowded  to- 
gether in  strange  association ;  Moslem  domes 
and  minarets,  Japanese  huts,  Swiss  chalets, 
Egyptian  temples,  Turkish  kiosks,  and  Gothic 
chapels.  Here  were  broad  belts  of  water  gliding 
on  their  way,  and  glittering  over  artificial  rocks 
in  bright  cascades;  there  a  light-house  and  a 
lantern;  yonder,  tall  chimneys  and  pipes,  throw- 
ing out  columns  of  smoke  and  steam,  and  in  the 
midst  of  all,  the  colossal  mass  of  the  main  palace, 
built  of  cast  iron,  pierced  with  arched  windows, 
and  in  which  some  visitors  thought  they  detected 
a  likeness  to  a  Roman  ampitheatre.  But  the 
building  had  really  no  resemblance  to  coloseum 
or  palace,  no  pretence  to  architectural  beauty, 
and  only  fitness  to  commend  it. 

The  park  which  occupied  nearly  double  the 
area  of  the  palace,  presented  the  strangest 
possible  mixture  of  buildings,  but  in  that  very 
circumstance  lay  its  attraction,  since  to  afford 
scope  for  contrast  and  comparison,  was  one  of 
the  leading  objects  of  the  enterprise. 


15 

Here  you  saw  a  massive  Egyptian  temple — 
no  piece  of  fancy-work,  but  an  exact  reproduc- 
tion. There  were  the  vast  pillars,  the  huge 
seated  statues,  the  colossal  sphynxes.  Not  far  off 
was  a  copy  of  the  temple  of  Xocchicalco,  and  in 
comparing  both,  you  Avere  struck  by  the  wonder- 
ful similarity  between  the  ancient  Egyptian  and 
the  ancient  Mexican  ecclesiastical  architecture. 
Farther  on  was  a  representation  of  the  palace  of 
the  Bey  of  Tunis,  its  fanciful  and  graceful  forms 
and  brilliant  and  florid  ornamentation  reminding 
you  of  those  glories  of  the  Moorish  Alhambra, 
so  gracefully  described  by  Irving.  Here  again 
you  came  to  an  Eastern  caravansary,  where 
oriental  workmen  were  busy  plaiting  mats, 
and  it  required  no  great  stretch  of  the  imagina- 
tion to  fancy  yourself  in  Cairo  or  Damascus. 
A  few  more  steps  brought  you  to  a  cavern  filled 
with  water,  in  which  divers  clothed  in  sub- 
marine armor,  and  breathing  through  tubes, 
showed  how  the  inventive  genius  of  man  has 
enabled  him  to  mingle  with  fishes  in  their 
native  element.  Then  there  were  pavillions 
splendidly  decorated,  constructed  for  the  special 
use  of  the  Emperor  and  Empress,  the  Viceroy 
of  Egypt  and  the  sovereigns. 


10 

There  were  churches  of  different  Christian 
creeds,  and  buildings  where  Bibles  and  religi- 
ous publications  in  different  languages  were 
distributed. 

In  the  park  also  were  buildings  devoted  to 
the  display  of  objects  crowded  out  of  the 
palace  or  too  cumbrous  to  be  exhibited  there, 
such  as  colossal  statues,  monster  guns,  fountains, 
pagodas. 

Here  the  Dutch  had  a  huge  structure  filled 
with  railroad  material.  Belgium  had  a  gallery 
of  Fine  Arts  and  an  equestrian  statue  of  King 
Leopold.  In  the  reserved  park  were  foliage 
and  flowers,  and  cages  filled  with  bright  plumed 
or  sweet  voiced  birds,  and  sheets  of  water 
where  gold  and  silver  fishes  sported. 

Here  were  acquariums  displaying  their  living 
marvels,  strange  shell  fish  and  the  wonders  of 
the  sea.  In  the  English  and  American  Parks, 
separated  by  an  alley,  there  were  vast  collec- 
tions of  railroad  material.  In  the  former  there 
were  monster  guns,  in  the  latter  not  a  single 
cannon,  but  a  better  representative — the  model 
of  an  American  school-house. 

In  the  Egyptian  department  were  relics  that 
carried   the   mind  back   in   a  breathless    flight 


17 

through  centuries;  jewels  buried  with  the 
mummy  of  a  queen  of  Thebes,  who  lived  when 
Joseph  was  prime  minister  of  Pharaoh. 

The  supply  of  water  from  the  Seine  for  the 
use  of  the  engines  in  the  Park,  was  effected  by 
five  enormous  pumps,  in  company  with  the 
steam  engiue  of  the  French  frigate  Friedland, 
which  alone  drew  up  1,100,000  gallons  per  hour. 
This  water  was  received  into  a  basin  made  to 
resemble  a  ruined  castle,  flowed  into  the  garden, 
supplied  all  the  wants  of  the  Exhibition,  formed 
a  lake  at  the  foot  of  the  light-house  and  was 
finally  restored  to  the  Seine. 

An  international  theatre,  and  a  large  hall  for 
scientific  and  social  meetings,  were  outside  of 
the  palace,  together  with  a  belt  of  restaurants 
and  refreshment  saloons,  some  of  vast  capacity. 

The  palace  of  the  Exposition  was  in  the  form 
of  an  elongated  oval.  The  outer  circumference 
was  devoted  to  machinery  and  was  3,936  feet  in 
length.  Then  came  the  gallery  of  raw  products ; 
being  nearer  to  the  centre  of  the  ellipse,  it  was 
necessarily  shorter,  and  so  with  the  succeeding 
zones,  which  diminished  as  they  approached  the 
inner  circumference  of  the  ellipse.  In  the  centre 
of  all  was  an  open  garden  surrounded  by  statues. 


18 

Each  class  of  manufactures  or  works  of  art 
made  the  entire  circuit  of  the  building.  The 
concentric  rings  were  termed  galleries.  The 
inner  circle  of  all,  or  Gallery  No.  1,  was  devoted 
to  works  of  art.  No.  2,  to  materials  for  and 
application  of  the  liberal  arts,  such  as  printing, 
books,  stationery,  scientific  apparatus,  surgical, 
mathematical  and  musical  instruments,  &c.  No. 
3,  to  furniture  and  other  articles  for  dwellings. 
No.  4,  to  clothing,  comprising  stuffs  and  other 
fabrics  worn  as  dress.  No.  5,  to  raw  materials, 
the  products  of  mines,  collieries,  forests,  &c. 
No.  6,  to  machines  and  apparatus  and  tools  in 
general.  No.  7,  to  cereals,  vegetables  and  other 
articles  of  food,  fresh  and  preserved,  in  different 
states  of  preparation;  another  gallery  under 
the  name  of  Museum,  was  devoted  tQ  the  history 
of  labor.  In  the  central  pavillion  of  all,  was  a 
collection  of  coins,  weights  and  measures  of  all 
countries.  The  concentric  rings  referred  to, 
were  traversed  by  avenues  or  streets,  radiating 
from  the  centre  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel. 
Each  of  the  spaces  thus  bounded  from  the  centre 
to  the  circumference  was  devoted  to  the  products 
of  a  nation.  So,  that,  if  you  wished  to  compare 
the  achievements  of  all  the  nations  in  one  class 


19 

of  productions,  you  followed  the  course  of  the 
gallery  or  zone  round  the  building.  If  to  acquaint 
yourself  with  the  products  of  any  one  nation  in 
all  the  branches  of  industry,  you  confined  your- 
self to  the  space  allotted  to  it,  going  from  the 
centre  to  the  circumference  or  vice  versa.  An 
arrangement  so  simple,  by  which  order  was 
brought  out  of  apparent  chaos,  must  inevitably 
be  followed  in  all  future  exhibitions  of  this 
kind.  In  all  former  exhibitions  the  visitor, 
overwhelmed  and  confused  by  the  mass  of  objects 
presented  to  his  view,  without  a  clue  to  the 
labyrinth,  went  away  day  after  day  with  his 
head  as  full  of  incongruous  articles  as  an  old 
curiosity  shop. 

Our  own  country,  though  far  from  presenting 
its  claims  as  forcibly  as  it  might  have  done,  yet 
made  an  honorable  figure  in  the  Exposition, 
and  in  some  respects  agreeably  surprised  the 
European  visitors.  That  we  excelled  in  labor- 
saving  machinery  and  in  useful  inventions 
was  a  fact  of  universal  notoriety;  that  our 
destructive  arms  and  our  ambulances  were 
almost  unrivaled,  was  also  conceded ;  but  that 
in  the  manufacture  of  musical  instruments  we 
challenged    competition  with  European    skill. 


20 

and  that  our  artists  have  produced  works  that 
invited  European  admiration,  were  facts  known 
but  to  the  select  few.  American  art  was  there- 
fore a  revelation  to  the  many,  and  the  wonder- 
ful landscapes  of  Church,  his  "Rainy  Season  in 
the  Tropics,"  and  "The  Falls  of  Niagara;" 
Bieestadt's  "Rocky  Mountains,"  and  Hunting- 
ton's "Republican  Court  in  the  Time  of  Wash- 
ington," always  attracted  throngs  of  spectators. 
The  exquisite  humor  and  truth  of  Eastman 
Johnson's  "Old  Kentucky  Home"  was  keenly 
relished,  and  the  spirit  of  TTinslow  Homer's 
reminiscence  of  the  war,  "  Confederate  Prison- 
ers at  the  Front,"  was  appreciated. 

No  foreigners,  however,  knew  the  story  of 
the  young  Federal  officer  who  figures  in  that 
picture  and  gives  it  its  interest  to  American 
eyes.  They  knew  not  that  the  original  of  that 
spirited  figure  left  his  bride  at  the  altar  to 
march  to  the  front  as  a  private  soldier,  and  that 
he  fought  his  way  to  distinction,  rising  from 
the  ranks  to  the  command  of  a  corj)s. » 

Among  the  many  pieces  of  marble  statuary 
of  modern  artists,  none  was  more  admired  than 
the  "  Sleeping  Faun,"  a  figure  of  antique  grace, 
finely  conceived  and  admirably  executed,  the 


21 

whole  wrought  by  the  fair  hand  of  an  American 
girl,  Miss  Harriet  Hosmer,  of  Watertown,Mass. 

The  magnificent  American  locomotive  and 
tender,  the  steam  engines,  and  machines  of  va- 
rious kinds — some  of  vast  capacity — attracted 
much  attention. 

"What  do  you  deal  in?"  asked  George  the 
Third  of  the  partner  of  James  Watt  in  the  busi- 
ness of  making  steam  engines. 

"What  kings  delight  in — power,"  was  the 
prompt  reply. 

But  happily  that  was  a  power  which  makes  the 
people  great — not  their  kings. 

Contrast  for  a  moment  the  power  which  the 
immortal  Watt  produced  by  steam,  astonishing 
as  it  then  was,  with  that  of  the  wonderful  ma- 
chinery displayed  at  the  Exposition,  and  how 
immense  the  progress  ! 

If  the  stupendous  motive  power  of  America 
excited  surprise  and  admiration,  so  did  that 
wonderful  planetarium  which  exhibited  the 
movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies,  while  phi- 
lanthropists experienced  the  purest  pleasure  in 
contemplating  the  Bible  engraved  in  relief  for 
the  use  of  the  blind,  giving  light  to  those  who 
sit  in  darkness. 


22 

A  distinguished  Frenchmau,  a  great  admirer 
of  our  country,  who  visited  the  Exhibition  with 
me,  expressed  his  views  of  the  industrial  future 
of  the  United  States  in  nearly  the  following 
terms : 

"  The  gallery  of  raw  material  exhibited  by 
the  great  Republic  must  attract  attention  even 
more  than  her  machinery,  her  arms  and  her 
musical  instruments.  Nature,  in  fact,  has  be- 
stowed every  gift  upon  this  grand  country.  It 
reaches  the  icy  North  abounding  there  with  furs 
and  woods  of  the  boreal  regions.  At  the  South 
it  touches  on  the  inter-tropical  countries,  where 
it  finds  cotton  and  those  cultures  which  we  call 
in  Europe  exotic.  It  does  not  lack  coal.  The 
immense  extent  of  its  territory  supplies  it  with 
metals  of  all  kinds.  Its  manufactures  can  there- 
fore develop  themselves  independently  of  all  the 
manufactures  of  the  world. 

"  Its  manufacturing  libert}^  niaj'  equal  its  po- 
litical liberty.  It  only  needs,"  continued  my 
enthusiastic  friend,  "to  borrow  from  other  coun- 
tries some  of  their  experience  and  intellectual 
wealth.  Thanks  to  tlie  bounties  of  nature,"  said 
he,  "American  industry  can  adopt  the  proud  Ital- 
ian device,  'Italia  fara  de  se,'  and  say  in  the  true 
spirit  of  independence,  '/  icill  do  it  all  myself.'  " 


23 

One  of  the  charms  of  the  Exposition  was  the 
power  of  ubiquity  conferred  upon  the  visitors. 
As  in  the  Arabian  Tales,  a  wish  wafts  a  man 
from  one  country  to  another,  so  here  a  step  took 
you  from  East  to  West,  from  North  to  South. 
One  moment  you  were  at  home  in  America,  the 
next  you  were  standing  in  Japan ;  now  you  were 
in  England,  again  in  India.  And  it  was  no  illu- 
sion, for  everything  that  surrounded  you  was 
tangible  and  real. 

"  Harvest  tool  and  husbandry, 
Loom  and  wheel  and  engln'ry, 
Secrets  of  the  sullen  mine, 
Steel  and  gold,  and  corn  and  wine. 
Fabric  rough,  or  fairy  fine, 
Sunny  tokens  of  the  line. 
Polar  marvels,  and  a  feast 
Of  wonder  out  of  "West  and  East, 
And  shapes  and  hues  of  part  divine. 
All  of  beauty,  all  of  use, 
That  one  fair  planet  can  produce. 

Brought  from  under  every  star, 
Blown  from  over  every  main. 
And  mixt,  as  life  is  mixt  with  pain. 

The  works  of  peace  with  works  of  war." 

Here  were  real  Egyptian  temples,  and  Turkish 
mosques,  and  Christian  churches,  and  Russian 
houses ;  and  you  were  elbowed  by  Turks,  Greeks, 
Arabs,  Chinese  and  Swedes,  wearing  their  national 
costumes. 

"  The  world  was  all  before  you  where  to  choose." 


24 

The  English  exhibitors  showed  great  taste  in 
the  arrangement  of  their  products. 

The  silk  manufacturers  of  Manchester  built 
up  a  graceful  Gothic  structure  of  bobbins  decked 
with  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow. 

There  was  another  delicate  edifice  made  en- 
tirely of  the  black  lead  used  in  making  pencils. 
This  fanciful  display,  on  French  ground,  was 
quite  a  success. 

There  was  a  fine  collection  of  English  decorated 
china,  happily  imitating  the  famous  Sc-yres  por- 
celain. The  English  goldsmiths  also  had  reason 
to  be  proud  of  their  achieyements.  Some  of  the 
Race  cups  were  splendid  works  of  art. 

But  in  machinery,  cotton  goods,  and  cheap 
and  seryiceable  fabrics,  the  English  manufactu- 
rers showed  their  preeminence,  and  yindicated 
the  character  of  England  for  solidity  and  utility. 
Grace  is  a  superadded  quality  in  their  produc- 
tions, an  exotic,  while  it  is  the  basis  of  eyery 
thing  produced  in  France. 

The  most  ordinary  household  article  in  France 
must  be  elegant  at  least  in  design,  or  it  is  com- 
paratively valueless.  Hence  in  articles  of  luxury 
the  French  defy  and  will  continue  to  defy  all 
rivalry.  Fashion  sits  enthroned  in  Paris  and  no 
revolution  can  unseat  her. 


25 

The  Brazilian  display  was  the  most  remarka- 
ble of  all  the  consignments  from  South  America. 
In  a  vast  hall  the  foliage  of  a  virgin  forest,  with 
its  trailing  vines  arching  over  the  spectators' 
heads,  was  imitated  with  success. 

Here  were  exhibited  specimens  of  all  the  val- 
uable woods,  and  their  number  is  enormous ; 
mahogany,  rosewood,  ebony,  &c.,  furnished  by 
the  boundless  forests  of  Brazil.  Elsewhere,  you 
might  behold  how  the  skilled  labor  of  the  French 
transforms  this  rich  material  into  splendid  fur- 
niture, adorned  with  all  the  graces  of  art. 

Let  us  add  that  many  of  these  splendid  woods 
imported  into  France  in  rude  blocks,  after  being 
manufactured  by  French  artisans,  find  their  way 
back  to  their  native  country  changed  into  tables, 
chairs,  cabinets,  pianos,  and  what-nots,  for  the 
embellishment  of  the  houses  of  the  Brazilian 
planters  or  the  French  colonists  of  Montevideo. 

Modern  industry  thus  realizes  the  ancient  fable 
of  King  Midas,  and  turns  all  it  touches  into 
gold. 

The  Spanish- American  Republics  did  not  con- 
tribute largely  to  the  Exposition.     A  glance  at 
the    cases   of   the  Central  American  Republics 
showed  that  the  people  who  hold  the  keys  of  the 
4 


26 

passage  between  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  are  not 
a  laborious  and  productive  race. 

A  step  carries  us  to  the  vast  realm  of  Southern 
Asia,  China,  Japan  and  Siam.  In  these  nations 
the  arts  and  manufactures  exhibit  something  of 
the  childishness  of  old  age.  Brilliant  gew-gaws, 
objects  of  luxury  wrought  in  a  style  more  eccen- 
tric and  fanciful  than  artistic  or  imaginative, 
contrast  most  forcibly  with  the  useful  products  of 
Anglo-Saxon  orenius,  and  show  how  the  wave  of 
civilization  has  receded  to  the  West. 

Still,  however,  it  would  be  unphilosophical 
to  fail  to  note  how,  in  obedience  to  the  laws  of 
action  and  reaction  that  govern  the  universe, 
as  the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  tides  sway  the  ocean, 
the  extreme  East  catches  a  new  impulse  from 
the  extreme  TTest.  Thus  the  Japanese,  an 
ingenious  people,  since  diplomacy  has  brought 
them  in  communication  with  the  United  States, 
have  adopted  many  of  the  fruits  of  our  civili- 
zation. Commodore  Perry  presented  the  Japan- 
ese government,  among  other  articles,  with  a 
miniature  model  of  a  railway  and  locomotive 
and  a  Dahlgren  gun.  In  a  very  short  time  the 
Japanese,  from  the  study  of  these  alone,  had 
built  a  railway  and  locomotive,  and  fabricated 
a  complete  battery  of  Dahlgrens. 


27 

Ilindostan,  Persia,  Egypt,  Turkey  and  Mo- 
rocco, with  their  contributions,  made  up  the 
sum  of  products  that  fairly  represented  the 
East  in  the  Great  Exposition.  They  were 
tokens  of  the  arts,  indolence,  pride,  luxury 
and  idolatry  of  Oriental  life.  Here  were  costly 
pipes,  magnificent  shawls,  cloths  of  gold,  rich 
carpets,  splendid  weapons  of  war,  uncouth  idols. 

Half  a  dozen  rajahs  sent  their  most  valuable 
effects  to  an  exhibition  to  which  the  King  of 
Sweden  contributed  pictures,  the  creation  of 
his  own  pencil,  and  the  Emperor  of  France  a 
model  of  a  workingman's  house  planned  by 
himself. 

But  Peter  the  Great  was  in  advance  of 
Napoleon  III,  for  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
ship-carpenter ;  and  Louis  XVI  was  never 
happier  than  when  he  was  displaying  his  skill 
as  a  lock-smith.  A  lock  made  by  this  unfortu- 
nate monarch  was  shown  in  the  Exposition. 

In  general  the  Oriental  countries  exhibited 
the  almost  hopeless  decadence  into  which  they 
have  fallen.  Turkey  only  displays  energy  and 
vitality  in  those  portions  of  her  empire  which 
approximate  the  Danube,  and  these  signs  of  life 
are  manifested  only  in  a  population  of  European 


28 

origin.  The  influence  of  the  crescent  seems 
almost  as  baleful  as  that  of  the  cross  is  benign. 

Egypt  is  also  in  arrears,  though  exhibiting 
more  vitality  than  Turkey. 

Next  -sve  come  to  Italy,  whose  political  status 
is  not  vet  firmlv  defined  and  whose  manufactur- 
ing  development  is  to  be  looked  for  in  the 
future.  Fine  specimens  of  the  agriculture  of 
Northern  Italy  were  displayed,  but  nothing 
remarkable  in  manufacturing  products. 

Southern  Italy  sent  samples  of  the  sulphurs 
of  the  famous  volcanoes  Etna  and  Vesuvius.  A 
Roman  monk,  named  Secchi,  contributed  a  self 
regulating  apparatus  for  recording  the  range  of 
the  thermometer,  the  quantity  of  rain  fallen, 
and  the  changes  of  wind  during  a  given  period. 
Left  out  of  doors  over  night  the  machine 
operates  of  itself,  and  its  observations  are 
accurate. 

In  the  fine  arts,  notwithstanding  some  re- 
markable productions,  the  decadence  of  Italy, 
from  the  days  of  the  great  masters,  is  painfully 
apparent.  Even  in  the  realm  of  music,  her 
sceptre  seemed  to  have  passed  to  other  hands. 

Russia  sent  her  furs,  ores,  minerals  and 
cereals.     Situated  between  Europe  and  Asia, 


20 

Russia  is  a  place  of  transit,  though  its  chief 
city,  St.  Petersburg,  is  sealed  up  by  ice  on  the 
water  side  during  more  than  six  months  of  the 
year.  Moscow,  the  Holy  City  of  the  Greek 
religion,  half  Asiatic  and  half  European  in  its 
character,  is  an  immense  entrepot  of  raw  ma- 
terial. Thither  caravans,  traversing  the  whole 
breadth  of  the  continent,  bring  the  costly 
products  of  China  and  the  East.  No  fewer 
than  sixty-six  different  races  of  men  acknow- 
ledge the  sway  of  the  Czar.  ♦ 

The  Russian  contributions  were  very  inter- 
esting. They  exhibited  a  singular  mixture  of 
the  East  and  West,  of  civilization  and  barbarism ; 
splendid  silken  robes,  and  sheepskin  garments, 
wooden-ware  and  jewelry,  furs  and  precious 
stones.  Here  were  the  malachite,  the  onyx 
and  cornelian  from  the  Ural  and  the  Caucasus ; 
heaps  of  leather,  splendid  mosaics;  and  expo- 
nents of  a  high  civilization,  beautiful  paintings 
and  bronzes. 

The  Scandinavian  countries,  formerly  one, 
but  now  politically  dissevered,  were  brought 
together  in  the  Exposition.  These  three  coun- 
tries, Denmark,  Sweden  and  Norway,  have 
many  points  of  similitude.     They  are  rich  in 


30 

forests,  •svliich  supply  materials  to  the  hand  of 
industry,  in  rosins  and  other  natural  products. 
Salt  and  smoked  fish  are  the  staple  food  of  the 
people  of  these  sterile  regions,  who  valiantly 
strussle  against  the  frowns  of  Nature,  and  in 
their  thrift  and  industry,  present  a  strong 
contrast  to  the  indolence  of  the  favored  East, 
"  "Where  all  save  the  spirit  of  man  is  divine." 

These  countries  also  contribute  various  fish 
oils  used  in  medicinal  preparations.  The  fishing 
implements  of  the  Norwegians  and  Icelanders, 
as  shown  in  the  Exhibition,  are  very  interesting, 
and  show  how  patience  and  industry  contend 
against  the  disadvantages  of  a  harsh  and  cheer- 
less climate. 

Greece,  whose  glory  lies  in  the  past,  contri- 
buted but  little.  What  Edmoxd  About  said  of 
the  Greek  department  in  the  Great  London 
World's  Fair  is  applicable  to  the  Exhibition  of 
1867.  "Honey  in  a  pot,  Corinth  raisins  in  a 
jar.  a  little  wine,  a  little  cotton,  a  little  madder, 
a  handful  of  figs,  a  cube  of  marble,  and  a  glass 
case  containing  a  few  Greek  dresses."  "VTe 
ought  in  justice  to  add.  that  there  were  some 
sponges,  coarse  carpets,  some  furniture  and 
verv  handsome  swords  and  daeirers. 


ai 

But  we  are  led  to  hope,  as  a  result  of  the 
Exposition,  that  the  germs  of  enterprise  which 
exist  in  all  nations,  will  be  stimulated  to 
develop  themselves,  in  those  regions  where 
they  lie  dormant,  by  the  example  of  those  coun- 
tries which  are  marching  in  the  van  of  progress. 

Spain  and  Portugal  exhibit  little  manufac- 
turing energy.  Agriculture  is  almost  their  only 
resource.  The  wine  trade  of  Spain  is  one  of  the 
chief  sources  of  wealth,  and  the  making  of  bot- 
tle corks  an  important  industrial  employment. 

The  manufacturing  activity  of  Switzerland 
is  a  powerful  argument  in  favor  of  free  insti- 
tutions. Her  valleys  and  lake  shores  are 
inhabited  by  an  intelligent,  well  educated  and 
industrious  population.  Silks,  ribbons,  muslins, 
embroideries,  laces,  straw  braids,  watches, 
musical  boxes,  and  wood  carvings  are  among 
the  chief  products  of  their  skilled  labor. 

Austria  is  the  neighbor  of  Switzerland  at 
the  Exposition  as  she  is  on  the  map  of  Europe. 
Composed  of  different  states,  having  each  its 
peculiar  genius,  it  has  no  well  defined  manufac- 
turing character.  Vienna,  the  capital,  is  a  sort 
of  key-stone,  binding  the  states  together,  and,  as 
a  place  of  transit,  is  of  some  importance.     It  had 


32 

in  the  Exhibition  a  line  collection  of  articles 
and  in  great  variety,  many  of  tliem  closely  resem- 
bling those  of  France.  Vienna  receives  from 
Paris  patterns  of  fa-hi^ns  and  stuffs,  copies  and 
manufactures  the:Li.  ana  literally  lioods  the  valley 
of  the  Danube  and  Southern  Russia  vriih  these 
products.  For  some  years,  however,  French 
rivalry  has  considerably  hampered  this  wholesale 
copying  business. 

Among  the  Austrian  contributions  to  the  Ex- 
position were  numerous  specimens  of  that  splen- 
did Bohemian  glass-ware  which  has  long  defied 
attempts. at  imitation  and  challenges  the  admira- 
tion of  the  world. 

Next  to  Austria  comes  her  rival,  Prussia,  and 
the  other  German  States,  which  are  only  sattel- 
lites  tjf  the  nation  which  Bismakck  has  raised  to 
such  European  preeminence. 

Berlin,  the  capital  of  the  Prussian  states,  is 
one  of  the  principal  manufactui'ing  cities  of 
Germany,  and  its  leading  market  in  the  wool 
trade,  of  which  article  many  excellent  specimens 
were  displayed  at  the  Exhibition.  Upwards  of 
T.O'jOjjLiij  lbs.  of  wool  pass  through  Berlin  in  a 
single  year. 

The  German  manufacturing  system  embraces 
almost  all  branches,  and  its  expansive  movement 


33 

is  to  the  East,  where  Poland  and  Russia,  jet  un- 
developed countries,  present  a  broad  field  for 
exportation. 

In  the  Exposition  there  were  also  fine  specimens 
of  German  metallurgy,  blocks  of  salt  and  coal, 
showing  the  extent  of  its  minersal  resources; 
specimens  of  the  color  known  all  over  Europe 
as  Prussian  Blue ;  superb  silks  and  velvets  from 
Crefeld,  Elberfeld,  Yiersen  and  vicinity.  Elber- 
feld  is  a  Prussian  city  situated  near  Dusseldorff, 
in  the  valley  of  the  Wipper.  This  industrious 
city  owes  its  prosperity  to  the  French  protestants 
of  Touraine,  driven  from  France  by  the  revocation 
of  the  Edict  of  Nantes  in  1685,  an  act  which 
Benjamin  Constant  termed  "the  error  of  Louis 
XIV  and  the  crime  of  his  council." 

Belgium  is  the  workshop  of  Europe,  and  its 
industry  comprises  almost  every  branch  of  manu- 
facture, from  the  labors  of  the  unaided  hand,  as 
in  the  fabrication  of  its  exquisite  laces  at  Brussels, 
to  the  production  of  wonderful  machinery  at 
Liege. 

Holland,  whose  territory  is  limited,  and  whose 

chief  activity  is  directed  towards  its  colonies  to 

-the   Southeast  of  Asia,  sent  to  the   Exposition 

specimens  of  the  products  of  the  Molucca  Islands. 

5 


34 

Among  the  curiosities  displayed  were  some  singu- 
lar Javanese  musical  instruments  and  arms. 

A  step  further  brings  us  to  the  French  Depart- 
ment which  occupies  nearly  h^lf  of  the  palace. 

The  industry  of  France  embraces  almost  every 
kind  of  manufactured  article.  All.,  however, 
having  the  same  general  character,  taste,  imagi- 
nation and  elegant  luxmy. 

Every  French  artisan  possesses  the  artistic 
sentiment.  V\'e  may  smile  at  the  assumption  by 
a  barber  of  the  title  of  ''Artist  in  Hair,"  and  yet 
there  is  an  artistic  skill  in  his  manipulations. 

You  remember  the  story  of  the  French  shoe- 
maker, vrh.0  exhibited  a  beautiful  slipper  in  his 
window.  A  gentleman,  who  admired  it,  and 
wished  to  purchase  the  pair,  enquired  for  the 
mate.  '•  Alas  1  Monsieur,"  said  the  cordonnier, 
"  there  is  no  mate ;  I  made  that  one  in  a  moment 
of  inspiration.'^ 

When  Vatel,  the  great  French  cook,  was 
concocting  a  new  dish  he  could  not  be  disturbed 
by  visitors.  "  Gentlemen,"  his  servant  said  to 
callers,  ''my  master  is  not  visible,  he  is  composing.'" 
Vaizl  styled  himself  a  composer  like  E-OSSIm.  or 
Mozart. 

Let  us  glance  at  French  manufactures  and 
particularly  those  of  Paris.     Parisian  furniture 


35 

is  certainly  preeminently  elegant.  Here  were 
chairs,  tables  and  bedsteads,  not  only  made  of 
costly  woods,  but  inlaid  with  ivory,  marble,  gold, 
glass  and  silver.  There  were  canoj^ied  bedsteads 
of  wonderful  workmanship,  the  price  of  which 
would  buy  one  of  our  large  western  farms,  house, 
stock  and  tools. 

Sometimes  the  first  artists  are  employed  to 
paint  the  panels  of  these  cabinets  and  bedsteads. 

When  the  Parisian  workman  has  exhausted 
imagination  and  costliness,  he  goes  back  to  his- 
torical models,  and  gives  us  mediasval  cabinets 
that  look  like  Gothic  churches,  or  reproduces  the 
delicate  columns  of  the  Renaissance,  or  the  Pom- 
padour arm-chairs  of  Louis  XVth's  time. 

The  Parisian  bronzes  copy  the  most  celebrated 
statues  of  antiquity,  and  a  workman  named  Colas 
has  invented  a  machine  for  making  perfect  fac- 
similes of  these  master-pieces  of  art  on  a  reduced 
scale. 

The  Parisian  jewelers  arc  unrivaled,  and  they 
derive  their  material  from  the  four  quarters  of 
the  globe,  employing  the  diamonds  of  Brazil,  the 
corals  of  the  Mediterranean,  the  opals  of  Hon- 
duras, and  the  pearls  of  Ceylon. 

But  French  silk  fabrics  are  specially  conspicu 
ous  and  of  sur])assing  beauty. 


36 

Tl:e  processes  of  manufacuuing  silk  were  for 
more  xhan  two  thousand  years  mkii>wn  in  Eu- 
rope. The  article  was  introduce^  :.:  E.ome  in 
the  dajs  of  Pompet  and  Juiius  Cjesar,  but  being 
brought  bj  caravans  from  China,  its  price  was  so 
high  when  it  reached  the  banks  of  the  Tiber, 
that  it  was  often  sold  for  its  weight  in  gold. 

The  Emperor  AuBEUAif,  on  returning  jfroni  the 
East  in  the  pride  of  victory,  refused  to  his  wife 
a  silk  dress,  assigning  as  a  reason  that  it  was  too 
great  an  extravagance  even  for  a  Roman  Empress. 

An  imperial  edict  of  China  forbade  the  expor- 
tation of  the  eggs  of  the  silk  worm  under  pain 
of  death.  About  the  year  552,  however,  two 
Persian  monks  who  had  lived  a  long  time  in 
China  as  missionaries,  and  were  acquainted  with 
the  rearing  of  silk  worms,  stimulated  by  the 
gifts  and  promises  of  the  Emperor  Justdteax, 
succeeded  in  conveying  a  large  number  of  eggs 
concealed  in  hollow  canes  to  Constantinople, 
where  they  watched  their  hatching  and  the  de- 
velopment of  the  butterflies.  The  experiment 
was  successful. 

According  to  a  current  legend,  however,  this 
was  not  the  first  successful  attempt  to  carry  silk- 
worm eggs  out  of    China.      A    certain    Chinese 


princess,  betrothed  to  a  king  of  Kliotan,  brought 
from  her  father's  court  to  her  new  home  a  num- 
ber of  eggs  concealed  in  her  hair.  This  event  is 
said  to  have  happened  about  one  hundred  and 
forty  years  before  the  Christian  era.  We  are 
not  told  what  style  of  hair  the  ladies  wore  so 
long  ago,  but  if  the  chignon  or  waterfall  of  the 
present  day  was  then  in  vogue,  the  princess 
might  have  smuggled  eggs  enough  to  stock  a 
province  with  silk  worms. 

The  silk  worm  is  a  Yery  modest  artisan.  Born 
in  the  spring,  ordinarily,  about  the  middle  of 
May,  it  feeds  on  the  leaves  of  the  mulberry  tree, 
and  attains  its  full  growth  (being  the  size  of  the 
little  finger  of  a  child  of  twelve  years)  in  about 
six  weeks.  Small  as  it  is,  according  to  M.  de 
QuATREFAGES  of  the  French  Institute,  it  weighs 
72,000  times  more,  at  its  full  development,  than 
when  hatched  from  the  egg. 

Early  in  July  it  establishes  the  workshop  of 
its  wonderful  manufacture.  Placed  in  a  com- 
fortable position,  it  proceeds  to  envelope  itself  in 
a  cocoon  formed  by  a  filament  of  exceedingly 
fine  silk  emitted  from  the  stomach  of  the  insect. 
It  soon  disappears  in  the  centre  of  the  cocoon, 
and  after  about  seventy-two  hours  of  unremitting 


labor,  produces  a  thread  frequently  not  less  than 
1,600  yards  in  length.  The  silk  is  obtained  by 
winding  off  the  thread  which  forms  the  cocoon. 
The  silk  worm  undergoes  a  transformation  in  the 
center  of  his  dwelling,  into  a  chrysalis,  and  then 
works  its  way  out  at  one  end  of  the  cocoon,  be- 
comes a  butterfly,  lays  some  hundreds  of  eggs 
and  dies. 

At  the  Exhibition  a  collection  of  silk  worms 
attracted  universal  attention.  A  quantity  of 
eggs,  of  mulberry  leaves,  and  all  that  relates  to 
the  raising  of  silk  worms,  were  also  displayed 
there. 

Some  of  the  finest  cocoons  of  all  were  from 
California,  and  from  the  most  reliable  informa- 
tion it  is  safe  to  predict,  that  at  no  distant  day 
our  Pacific  coast  will  become  one  of  the  first 
silk-raising  countries  of  the  world,  rivalling 
even  China  and  Japan.  There  are  now  in  South- 
ern California  upwards  of  10,000  flourishing 
mulberry  trees,  and  some  300,000  of  the  finest 
cocoons  have  been  produced  there  the  past  year. 

The  silk  manufacture  was  commenced  at  Ly- 
ons in  1520  tmder  the  auspices  of  Fe-^tis  I. 
This  city,  the  headquarters  of  the  silk  manufac- 
ture, at  one  time  exported  8-15,000,000  worth 


39 

annually.  Latterly  the  epidemic  among  the 
silk  worms,  and  to  some  extent  the  changes  of 
fiishion,  have  severely  injured  this  industry. 
The  loss  by  this  disease  to  France  alone,  M. 
Thiers  has  estimated  at  upward  of  100,000,000f., 
or  $20,000,000  in  gold  annually.  Our  own 
country  thus  far  is  entirely  free  from  it. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  French  industry 
let  us  consider  for  a  moment  the  prodigious  ac- 
tivity of  the  great  capital.  Paris,  with  a  popu- 
lation of  1,700,000  souls,  has  more  than  100,000 
manufacturing  establishments,  doing  a  business 
of  $675,000,000.  This  immense  industrial  activ- 
ity occupies  417,000  paid  workmen  and  133,000 
small  emj^loyers  who  also  labor  with  their  hands, 
making  a  total  of  550,000  working  peojDle — com- 
prising a  body  of  men  whose  creative  genius  and 
artistic  skill  is  scarcely  more  admired  by  the 
world  than  their  political  j^ower  and  example  is 
dreaded  by  ruling  despots. 

As  the  whole  industry  of  the  world  was  repre- 
sented at  the  Exposition,  Agriculture,  of  course, 
presented  its  claims  to  attentive  study — agricul- 
ture^ the  basis  of  civilization,  the  breath  of 
national  life  and  prosperity. 

Some  of  its  products  appeared  in  the  Champ 
de  Mars,  but  the  Island  of  Billancourt,  at  a  short 


411 

distance  iu  the  Seine,  was  special!}'  devoted  to 
an  agricultural  display. 

I  shall  not  attempt  to  enlarge  upon  this  branch 
of  our  subject,  but  barely  glance  at  the  salient 
j)oints  presented  in  the  Exposition  so  far  as  they 
relate  to  European  countries. 

French  agriculture  is  notable  for  the  diversity 
of  its  products.  At  the  Exposition  France  ex- 
hibited fine  specimens  of  grain,  hemp,  flax,  hops, 
tobacco,  different  kinds  of  woods,  manufactured 
and  unmanufactured,  beet-root  sugar,  and  wines, 
brandies  and  liquors  so  famous  throughout  the 
world. 

There  was  a  good  display  of  agricultural  tools 
and  small  well-made  machines  of  moderate  cost, 
the  land  of  that  countrv  beins;  so  minutelv  sub- 
divided  that  ponderous  and  costly  machinery  is 
in  little  demand. 

With  a  population  of  38,000,000,  there  are 
24,000,000  who  share  in  the  ownership  of  the 
soil,*  mostly  in  so  minute  spots,  however,  as  to 
afford  but  narrow  scope  for  either  capital  or 
skill. 

The  exhibition  of  live  stock,  horses,  cattle, 
sheep  and  swine,  was  creditable  to  France. 
Merinos,   Dishly    and    South-down    sheep    have 

*  Diseours  de  M.  Tliicls  1866. 


41 

been  successfully  acclimated.  She  produces  fine 
horses,  both  light  and  heavy  draught,  and  there 
has  been  a  judicious  introduction  of  foreion 
bloods.  The  live  stock  of  other  countries  was 
excluded  from  the  Exhibition  on  account  of  the 
prevailing  epidemic  among  cattle. 

Great  Britain  has  long  been  famous  for  the 
high  pitch  to  which  she  has  carried  agricultural 
pursuits.  But,  unlike  France,  her  soil  is  monop- 
olized in  the  hands  of  some  30,000  proprietors ; 
and  the  condition  of  her  farm  laborers  is  far 
from  enviable,  actually  subsisting,  as  some  of 
them  do,  on  bread  and  lard. 

The  London  Punch  once  hit  off  this  state  of 
things,  in  a  style  of  humorous  exaggeration,  by 
representing  a  farm  hand  at  an  agricultural  fair 
— a  gaunt  skeleton,  with  the  bones  protruding 
from  his  skin,  standing  beside  an  enormous  Suf- 
folk hog,  depicted  as  a  bloated  mass  of  flesh, 
and  suggested  prizes  for  farm  laborers  as  well 
as  for  fatted  swine. 

She  displayed  at  the  Exposition  a  number 
of  excellent  agricultural  implements,  plows, 
threshing,  reaping  and  mowing  machines,  &c., 
inferior,  it  is  true,  to  our  oivn,  but  solid  and  service- 
able. She  contributed  also  a  superior  collection 
G 


42 

of  cereals,  preserved  meats,  and  an  assortment 
of  wood  from  her  colonies. 

Busy  little  Belgium  and  industrious  Holland 
sent  to  the  Exposition  samples  of  their  flax  and 
hemj).  Switzerland  sent  wheat,  barley,  potatoes, 
plants  for  forage  and  hay.  Spain — flax,  hemp, 
saffron  and  wool.  Portugal  was  represented  by 
rice,  corn,  wool  and  silk.  Greece,  by  cotton,  flax, 
oil  and  wax.  From  Turke}^  came  tobacco,  cotton, 
silk  cocoons,  madder,  goat's  and  camel's  hair, 
opium,  senna  and  various  gums. 

Ital}^,  once  foremost  in  European  civilization, 
and  which,  let  us  hope,  is  now  starting  on  a  fresh 
career  under  the  inspiration  of  independence  and 
unity,  sent  fine  specimens  of  cotton,  hemp,  mac- 
caroni,  rice  and  preserved  fruits. 

The  French   colonies  of  Algeria  contributed 
good  specimens  of  corn,  cotton,  wool,  flax,  mad 
der,  silk  cocoons  and  two  plants,  the  alfa  and  diss, 
which  promise  to  be  valuable  additions  to  the 
materials  for  making  paper. 

The  great  central  and  northern  nations  made  a 
creditable  display.  Austria  contributed  hops, 
wool,  silk  cocoons  and  tobacco.  Bavaria,  where 
43  per  cent,  of  the  people  are  farmers,  hemp,  flax, 
hops  and  tobacco. 


48 

It  may  be  noted  in  passing  that  agriculture  is 
steadily  advancing  in  all  the  German  states.  In 
the  Rhenish  provinces  alone  there  are  1G2  agri- 
cultural societies,  61  of  which  were  formed  in 
1866. 

Colossal  Russia,  which  is  also  making  great 
improvements  in  agriculture,  sent  excellent  sam- 
ples of  hemp,  flax,  goat's  hair,  wool,  tobacco  and 
specimens  of  Black  Sea  wheat  from  the  vast  fer- 
tile region  which  has  been  termed  the  granary  of 
Europe ;  while  Denmark  and  Sweden  exhibited 
in  the  agricultural,  as  in  other  departments,  proofs 
of  intelligent  industry. 

In  a  word,  for  I  must  forbear  further  details  in 
what  at  least  is  but  a  dry  catalogue,  the  Exposi- 
tion ofi'ered  gratifying  evidence  that  European 
agriculture  from  the  North  Cape  to  the  Rock  of 
Gibraltar,  and  from  St.  George's  Channel  to  the 
Hellespont,  is  making  steady  progress,  and  that 
in  no  particular  is  the  advance  more  marked  than 
in  the  social  improvement  of  the  actual  tillers  of 
the  soil.  May  we  not  hope  that  the  day  is  not 
far  distant  when,  cheered  by  our  example,  they, 
like  the  independent  freemen  of  our  OAvn  country, 
shall  be — 

"  Men  I  high-niimlcd  men, 
INIen  who  their  duties  know, 
And  know  their  ri<rht.s,  ;ind  kuowinir  dare  maintain." 


4-i 

The  marvels  of  the  Exposition.,  which  one 
brief  houi*  permits  us  merely  to  touch  upon,  whose 
catalogue  occupies  two  bulky  volumes,  attracted 
to  Paris  an  immense  concourse  of  people  from  all 
parts  of  the  globe. 

Obeying  the  universal  impulse,  sovereigns  left 
their  palaces  and.  like  their  subjects,  took  the 
shortest  road  to  the  Champ  de  Mars. 

In  this  connection  I  should  mention  the  sitting 

of  the  IvTZEXATIOXAL  MOXETAEY  COXFEREXCE  dur- 
ing the  Exposition,  attended  by  eminent  men 
from  most  of  the  civilized  countries,  to  consider 
the  policy  of  unifying  the  coins  of  all  nations, 
over  which  Prince  Xapoleon  presided.  The 
United  States  were  there  represented  by  the 
Hon.  Samuel  B.  Puggles.  whose  able  report  to 
our  government  is  now  attracting  world-wide 
attention. 

In  the  palmiest  days  of  Napoleon  I,  he  wrote 
to  his  friend  Talma,  the  tragedian :  "  Come  to 
Erfurt  and  you  shall  play  to  a  whole  pitfull  of 
kings."  Napoleon'  III  niight  readily  have  fur- 
nished such  an  audience  at  Paris  in  1SG7.  Two 
emperors,  eight  kings,  a  sultan,  a  viceroy  and  six 
reigning  princes  were  his  guests  during  the  Ex- 
position.    But  he  who  most  riveted  the  attention 


45 

and  excited  the  emotions  of  that  vast  concourse 
was  neither  monarch  nor  prince,  but  the  man  of 
ideas ;  a  statesman,  by  whose  genius  and  will  a 
colossal  confederation  was  created  out  of  the 
ruins  of  kingdoms  and  principalities,  based  on 
national  unity,  and  which  renders  illustrious  the 
nam'e  of  Otto  von  Bismarck. 

The  Sultan  of  Turkey  and  the  Emperor  of 
Russia  especially  engaged  public  attention,  but 
not  for  the  same  reason.  The  attempt  to  assas- 
sinate the  Czar  by  a  Polish  refugee  caused  great 
commotion  in  the  capital,  and  we  can  well  under- 
stand why  the  French  Emperor,  accustomed 
though  he  is  to  conceal  his  emotions,  after  wait- 
ing on  the  departing  guest  and  seeing  him  safely 
seated  in  the  railway  train  on  his  journey  home, 
could  not  help  rubbing  his  hands  with  delight  at 
the  thought  of  having  got  rid  of  the  responsi- 
bility that  weighed  upon  him.  He  is  said  to 
have  remarked:  "To  receive  an  imperial  guest 
is  one  thing;  to  have  him  die  on  your  hands  is 
quite  another  affair." 

As  for  the  Sultan,  he  excited  among  the  popu- 
lace as  much  curiosity  as  Brigham  Young  would 
have  done,  and  for  the  same  reason,  the  presumed 
extent  of  his  matrimonial  felicity.     A  lad}'  once 


46 

asked  Talleyrand  if  the  then  Sultan  of  Turkey 
was  married.  "  Very  much,  madam,"  was  the 
reply.  The  French  government  papers,  how- 
ever, hastened  to  assert  that  the  present  Sultan,- 
Abdul  Azzis,  had  repudiated  polygamy  and  was 
the  husband  of  one  wife  only.  A  still  more 
curious  and  questionable  story  formed  a  part  of 
the  current  gossip.  In  179S,  a  young  French 
Creole  lady  of  Martinique,  on  her  way  to  France, 
was  driven  by  contrary  winds  into  the  Mediter- 
ranean, taken  by  Algerian  corsairs  and  sold  as  a 
slave  to  the  Sultan  Selim  HI,  whose  favorite  she 
soon  became.  She  had  a  son,  who  was  the  grand- 
father of  the  present  sultan.  Xow,  the  story 
goes,  that  this  pretty  Creole  was  cousin-german 
to  M'lle  Tascher  de  la  Pagerie,  another  Creole, 
who  became  the  Empress  Josephine  and  grand- 
mother of  Xapoleon  III.  It  results  from  this 
history  that  the  Emperor  of  France  and  the  Sul- 
tan of  Turkey  belong  to  the  same  family. 

The  presence  of  so  many  strangers  gave  unusual 
splendor  to  the  distribution  of  prizes,  which  took 
place  in  the  principal  hall  of  the  Palace  of  Indus- 
tr}',  a  vast  building  erected  for  the  exhibition  of 
1855  in  the  Champs  Elysees,  the  finest  promenade 
in  Paris,  perhaps  in  the  world. 


47 

The  walls  of  the  building  are  of  stone.  The 
shape  is  that  of  a  parallelogram  820  feet  long 
and  354  feet  broad.  The  roof  is  arched,  and 
formed  of  iron  and  glass ;  the  height,  from  the 
floor  to  the  center,  is  108  feet. 

The  prizes  were  divided  into  five  classes.  The 
grand  prizes,  costly  gold  medals,  few  in  number, 
were  bestowed  on  works  of  extraordinary  merit. 
Gold  medals  (of  less  value)  were  awarded  to  the 
highest  order  of  industrial  art;  silver  medals  to 
those  of  a  high  order ;  bronze  medals  to  merito- 
rious works ;  and  lastly,  honorable  mentions,  equiv- 
alent to  diplomas. 

But  there  is  something  more  highly  appreciated 
than  any  of  these,  the  ribbon  of  the  Legion  of 
Honor,  to  win  which  thousands  have  made  the 
greatest  sacrifices.  It  is  conferred  alike  upon 
those  who  have  won  glory  on  the  field  of  battle, 
on  those  who  have  distinguished  themselves  by 
public  services,  great  inventions,  valuable  manu- 
factures, or  by  acts  of  humanity  or  philanthropy. 
Thus  the  statesman,  the  divine,  the  soldier,  the 
artist,  the  fabricant  and  the  philanthropist  may 
each  merit  and  receive  the  decoration. 

The  Legion  of  Honor  was  instituted  by  Napo- 
leon I.     It  has  its  staff,  its  officers  of  every  grade 


48 

and  its  j^rivate  soldiers,  who  are  styled  chevalier.-, 
and  may  be  met  at  almost  every  step  in  the 
street.  They  are  recognized  by  a  small  red  ribbon 
attached  to  the  buttonhole  of  the  coat.  The  man- 
ner in  which  it  is  folded  indicates  the  legionary 
rank  of  the  wearer. 

Everv  French  prince  is  invested  with  the  order 
at  his  birth,  and  all  the  sovereigns  of  Europe  re- 
ceive it  as  a  compliment  from  the  ruler  of  France 
on  their  accession  to  the  throne. 

With  these  single  exceptions  it  is  a  distinction 
won  by  merit  alone,  and  as  such  entitles  the  wearer 
to  respect. 

Proud  of  our  republican  simplicity,  and  edu- 
cated as  we  all  are  in  a  contempt  fur  glittering 
gew-gaws  of  courts  with  their  stars  and  collars. 
often  the  emblems  of  servility  or  the  rewards  of 
degrading  services,  it  is  but  just  to  say.  that  in 
France  this  order  of  civil  distinction  has  appealed 
most  successfully  to  that  love  of  personal  glory 
which  is  so  characteristic  of  the  French  people. 

It  is  a  gratifying  fact  that  to  the  exhibitors 
from  our  own  country  was  awarded  a  greater  pro- 
portion of  prizes  than  to  those  of  any  other  nation. 
The  United  States  itself  was  honored,  above  all. 
for    its    contributions    from    tlie    Quarterrna-tL^r"- 


40 

Department  and  Coast  Survey,  they  being  classed 
''Horsconcours;'  and  pronounced  wholly  unrivaled. 
As  a  mark  of  special  consideration,  the  rank 
of  Officier  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  was  conferred 
by  the  Emperor  upon  the  Hon.  N.  M.  Beckwith, 
.  Commissioner    General    and    President    of    the 
United  States  Commission.     The  Cross  of  Chev- 
alier of  the  Legion  of  Honor  was  also  conferred 
by  the  Emperor  upon  several  other  Americans. 
Five  grand  prizes  were  given :  one  to  Mr.  Cyrus 
W.  Field  for  the  Atlantic  telegraph  cable;  one 
to  Prof.  Hughes  for  the  printing  telegraph  sys- 
tem;   one    to    the    U.   S.   Sanitary    Commission, 
whose  admirable  collection  was  made  at  the  sole 
expense  of  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Evans;  one  to  Mr. 
Wm.  C.  Chapin,  of  the  Pacific  Mills  of  Lawrence, 
Mass.,  for    the  superior  plan,    organization  and 
management  of  that  establishment,  and  for  pro- 
moting the  material,  moral  and  intellectual  well- 
being  of  the  operatives;    and  one  to  Mr.  C.  H. 
McCoRMiCK,  of  Chicago,  111.,  for  his  reaping  ma- 
chine, after  a  thorough  trial  on  the  model  farm  of 
the  Emperor,  and  in  his  presence. 

Eighteen  gold  medals   were    awarded   for   our 
pianos,  fire-arms,  reaping  and  mowing  machines, 
wood-working,    type-dressing   and    sewing   ma- 
7 


50 

chines,  a  steam  engine,  a  locomotive  and  tender, 
cotton,  minerals  and  artificial  teeth.  Seventy-six 
silver  medals  were  given  to  us  for  our  scales,  power 
looms,  edge-tools,  machine  tools,  steel  plows, 
cabinet  organs,  bronzed  iron  ornaments,  micro- 
scopes, astronomical  instruments,  cloths,  muslins, 
cotton  thread,  boots  and  shoes,  a  brick  machine, 
a  buggy,  a  phaeton,  a  landscape  painting,  works 
for  the  blind,  tobacco,  sugar,  hams,  kc,  ^^c. 

Besides  these,  ninety-eight  bronze  medals  were 
awarded  to  us,  and  numerous  honorable  mentions 
were  made. 

The  festival  of  the  distribution  of  rewards,  of 
which  our  countrymen  received  their  share,  was 
unquestionably  the  most  splendid  pageant  of 
modern  times.  Those  who  have  had  the  fortune 
to  witness  in  the  great  capital  many  grand 
fetes  and  reviews — monarchial,  republican  and 
imperial — and  to  attend  balls  and  receptions 
given  in  honor  of  eventful  days  and  distin- 
guished personages,  will  affirm  that  not  one 
of  them  approached  this  in  magnificence  and 
impressiveness. 

The  Emperor  and  Empress  of  France,  Prince 
Napoleox  and  Princess  Clothilde,  the  Princess 
Mathilde,  the  Sultan,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  the 


51 

Prince  of  Prussia,  the  Prince  of  Orange,  the 
Prince  of  Saxony,  Prince  Humbert  of  Italy,  and 
their  suites,  were  driven  to  the  Palace  in  the 
great  state  coaches  built  for  Louis  XIV  and  care- 
fully preserved  at  Versailles,  all  of  them  regilded 
for  this  occasion. 

In  the  great  hall  where  the  distribution  took 
place  were  18,000  spectators.  It  was  resplendent 
with  the  uniforms  of  ambassadors,  marshals,  sen- 
ators and  other  officials  of  high  rank,  while  all 
the  invited  guests  were  in  full  dress ;  that  is,  in 
black  dress  coats,  pantaloons  and  vests,  with 
white  cravats  and  white  kid  gloves,  as  specially 
'requested  on  the  cards  of  invitation.  The  ladies 
were  also  attired  as  for  a  grand  jDarty. 

In  the  center  rose  a  pyramidal  mass  composed 
of  those  productions  which  had  been  pronounced 
worthy  of  reward. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  sovereigns,  a  band  of 
1,200  musicians  struck  up  a  triumphal  march 
composed  for  the  occasion  by  the  venerable  Ros- 
sini, with  the  accompaniment  of  pealing  bells 
and  detonating  cannon.  The  effect  of  this  storm 
of  musical  thunder,  as  it  rolled  through  the  vaulted 
hall,  was  indescribably  grand. 

The  distribution  of  rewards  was  made  ])y  tlie 
Emperor  in  person.     Ilis  brief  speech,  with  which 


oz 


all  of  you  are  familiar,  was  well  conceived  and 
expressed,  and  spoken  in  a  clear,  shrill  voice. 
It  was  heard  distinctly  by  at  least  two-thirds  of 
the  immense  assemblage. 

Though  the  Emperor  distributed  the  prizes, 
there  was  one  exception.  It  was  discovered  that 
he  himself  was  one  of  the  fortunate  exhibitors, 
and  a  medal  was  decreed  to  him  for  his  model  of 
a  workingman's  house. 

In  this  dilemma,  the  little  Prince  Imperial 
(now  eleven  ^-ears  old)  came  to  his  rescue,  and 
stepping  forward,  gracefully  bestowed  the  prize 
upon  his  father. 

The  ceremony  ended  by  the  Emperor  and  Em- 
press, and  Prince  Imperial,  the  rest  of  the  Napo- 
leon famil}',  and  the  royal  guests  of  France, 
making  the  entire  tour  of  the  hall. 

When  the  imperial  party  was  passing  the  eligi- 
ble spot  b}-  the  side  of  the  foreign  ambassadors 
where  were  placed  the  Commissioners  of  the 
United  States,  one  of  our  countrymen,  a  soldier 
in  the  late  war,  wearing  his  uniform  as  Col- 
onel, mounted  a  bench  and  called  for  three  hearty 
American  cheers  for  the  Emperor  and  Empress. 
Without  discussing  the  taste  and  propriety  of 
the  act,  suffice  it   to  say  that   such  a  shout  went 


53 

up  as  only  American  lungs  can  produce ;  and  the 
usually  impassive  face  of  the  Emperor  bright- 
ened, and  the  Empress  smiled,  as  they  acknow- 
ledged this  spontaneous  tribute  of  respect  to  the 
ruler  who  was  offering  the  hospitality  of  his 
country  to  the  whole  world. 

I  have  rapidly  placed  before  you,  Mr.  Presi- 
dent, and  gentlemen,  as  well  as  I  was  able,  the 
principal  features  of  the  World's  great  show  of 
1867  as  it  impressed  my  memory. 

The  vastness  of  the  theme  renders  all  attempt 
at  minute  description  unsatisfactory.  Every 
visitor  you  meet  has  his  own  story  to  tell,  but 
few  if  any  left  the  Exhibition  with  a  feeling  ot 
dissatisfaction. 

Certainly  no  one,  however  well  informed, 
could  have  studied  that  disjDlay  of  the  industry 
of  all  nations  without  learning  much  that  was 
new  to  him.  Nor  could  one  fail,  after  such  a 
study,  to  be  convinced  of  the  certain  progress  of 
humanity,  continually  rising  to  a  higher  plane 
and  moving  onward  to  a  brighter  future. 

The  Exhibition  of  1855  was  held  when  France 
was  engaged  in  a  deadly  struggle  with  the  might- 
iest power  of  Europe. 

War  could  not  paralyze  the  arm  of  peace. 
P]ven  then,  with  the  din  of  arms  resounding  in 


54 

the  East,  the  Emperor  said:  "-In  view  of  the 
many  marvels  displayed  before  our  eyes,  the  first 
impression  is  a  desire  for  peace.  Peace  alone 
can  further  develop  the  true  products  of  human 
intelligence.  You  must  then  all  wish  like  me 
for  this  peace  to  be  prompt  and  durable." 

The  Exhibition  of  1^07  was  held  in  a  time  of 
peace,  though  the  political  skies  of  Europe  are 
never  clear,  and  the  war  cloud  even  then  was 
imminent. 

One  of  the  most  sic^iificant  and  CTatifvincr  fea- 
tures  of  the  Exposition  was,  that  the  representa- 
tives of  the  foremost  states  of  the  globe  there 
met  to  give  pledges  to  the  cause  of  international 
amity  and  social  progress  :  a  grand  congress  of 
nations  convened  to  secure  good-fellowship  among 
all  civilized  peoples,  with  agriculture,  science, 
art  and  commerce  officiating  as  envoys  extraor- 
dinary. The  remark  of  Cicero,  that  all  liberal 
arts  have  a  common  bond  and  relationship,  was 
never  more  beautifully  exemplified  than  on  this 
occasion,  when  France,  Prussia,  Russia,  Austria, 
England,  Italy  and  the  United  States,  each  of 
which  had  so  recently  astonished  the  world  by 
its  prowess  in  arms.  Wfie  now  seen  devoting 
their  genius,  skill   and  resoiu-ces  to  stimulating 


55 

the  rivalries  of  peace  ratlier  than  provoking  the 
perils  of  war.  Mingling  with  their  representa- 
tives on  terms  of  equality,  were  those  of  the 
smaller  powers  of  both  hemispheres,  all  vieing 
with  each  other  to  promote  peace  on  earth  and 
good  will  to  men.  This  sublime  spectacle  has 
doubtless  done  more  for  civilization  and  the  con- 
cord of  the  world  than  could  have  been  accom- 
plished by  many  years  of  the  more  formal  and 
perhaps  less  sincere  labors  of  the  ripest  statesmen 
and  acutest  diplomatists  of  the  age. 

It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  in  this  grand  con- 
gress our  country  played  a  leading  part.  Encour- 
aged by  this  fact,  as  well  as  by  the  vigor  and 
elasticity  of  our  institutions,  tested  and  proved  by 
recent  trials,  we  may  anticipate  for  her  a  glorious 
future. 

The  only  disturbing  element  in  our  midst  hav- 
ing passed  away  never  again  to  return,  we  may 
reasonably  hope  that  our  fertile  fields  will  never 
again  be  reddened  by  blood. 

No  foreign  foe  will  ever  dare  to  set  foot  upon 
our  soil.  We  may,  therefore,  devote  all  our  ener- 
gies to  the  cultivation  of  the  works  of  peace — to 
the  arts  and  sciences,  agriculture,  commerce  and 
manufactures. 


56 

Let  us.  then,  *'  study  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do  our 
own  business,  and  to  work  with  our  own  hands." 

The  time  will  come  when  we  shall  equal  the 
most  advanced  nations  of  Europe  in  every  mate- 
rial branch  of  art  and  industry. 

Hitherto  we  have  devoted  our  energies  princi- 
pally to  the  useful  and  the  practical,  and  in  this 
we  have  distanced  Europe.  Without  losing  sight 
of  these,  as  we  grow  in  wealth  and  taste,  let  us 
strive  to  compete  in  articles  of  elegance  and  lux- 
ury with  those  countries  whose  civilization  and 
progress  are  the  growth  of  ages. 


